The Last Avatar - Gamer Edition
by R.L.Keeper
Summary: It started with the cement truck, she was pretty sure it hit her. Hard if that weird loading area she'd been thrown into was any indication. Now she was lost in a forest somewhere with a bow and no arrows and, apparently, she was the Avatar. The Last Avatar if the loading screen was right. Sent to stop the 'Calamity' from, you know, killing everyone. Yeah, this was going to suck.
1. 0-0 Prologue

**::The Last Avatar**::

* * *

><p><strong>0.0<strong>

**~Prologue**~  
><strong>The Dreaded Loading Screen<strong>

* * *

><p>The last thing she remembered thinking as the cement truck came barrelling towards her was: 'well fuck'.<p>

Now however, she believed that thought to be an understatement as she looked at the small, floating, box of text before her that said the words every gamer hated to see on their screens: 'Game Over'. Seeing those words before her now, in the strange floating text box, Rue wasn't entirely sure what to think. 'Well fuck' just didn't quite cover it. I mean, had she died? Was this the afterlife? It wasn't very interesting to look at.

Apprehensive teal coloured eyes glanced around the dark expanse around her to see if anyone else was around, nope, nadda. Looking back to the floating box of doom Rue reached out and poked the box to make sure it was indeed actually there. When her finger came in contact with it she heard a small chime and the box vanished, only to be replaced a moment later with another, slightly more confusing, text box popping up in front of her face.

* * *

><p><strong>New Game<strong>

**Continue?**

* * *

><p>Rue frowned at the words more than a little perplexed. Perhaps she was hanging on by a thread and the paramedics were trying to revive her and all this was her gamer driven mind trying to convey that? Shrugging to herself and having another glance around Rue figured she'd play along as it were.<p>

"Um, continue?" she answered somewhat awkwardly.

The text was immediately replaced with the dreaded loading bar for a moment.

* * *

><p><strong>Loading….<strong>

**Save_File_Corrupted…**

* * *

><p>"No!" Rue's heart stopped at the sight of the last message. The gods only knew what that meant for her.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Loading….<strong>

**New Game Start_**

**New Save File Created_**

**New Game Configuration**

Sound - Normal

Video - Normal

Tutorial - **ON**/OFF

Auto Save - **ON**/OFF

**Confirm?**

* * *

><p>Rue's right eye was twitching as the words appeared before her, she hated not knowing what was going on and right now, as far as she knew, she was dead or dying and now her brain was screwing with her in this mind fuck of a dream. A corrupted save file could mean that she'd had some brain damage she tried to rationalise, starting a new game could mean either a second chance with no memories or, she winced at the thought, reincarnation as someone completely different and ending up as a baby. Neither were attractive options really, but they were the more realistic.<p>

Glaring at the confirm request Rue wondered briefly if she could just refuse to answer, turning away from the text box she started to walk in the opposite direction to see if she could escape the dark area and find some light or someone at the very least. Unfortunately that did not happen, Rue took a maximum of three steps before the text box popped into existence before her once again. Huffing in annoyance while glancing around for the third time Rue acquiesced as requested; "Confirm."

* * *

><p><strong>Configuration Confirmed_<strong>

**Loading….**

**Save File 1 Set_**

**Transferring Achievements_**

* * *

><p>The last words caught Rue's eye and she frowned, she <em>had<em> achievements? Since when? Why hadn't anyone told her that when she was alive? Honestly. Though, as she glanced at the list, she wasn't sure she would have called them achievements herself. More like, random events in her life someone else had thought were interesting, or just amusing. Admittedly they weren't that impressive at all really, and a bit embarrassing. On the other hand, they were hers and that was something.

* * *

><p><strong>Tassie Apples - <strong>Born and raised in Tasmania

**Crazy 80's - **80's baby

**Two homes, Twice the Presents - **Parents Split up

**Interstate Visits - **Visited family interstate annually for Ten Years running

**Wedding in the House - **Parent got married

**Gypsy Girl - **Moved homes more than five times before you turned ten

**New Girl - **Started at a new school

**New Girl+ - **Went to five different schools before your sixteenth birthday

**In the Money - **Monetary Windfall during your childhood

**I've Been Everywhere, Man - **Travelled and explored your home state extensively before your sixteenth birthday

**The Flying Festiva - **Was in the car when your mother made her Ford Festiva fly. Literally.

**Anime Girl - **Discovered love of Anime

**You're Outta Here - **Parent gets divorced

**Gamer Girl - **Discovered love of Gaming

**The Artist in Me - **Discovered love of Drawing

**Mini-Moony - **Wore your Sailor Moon costume at School because you could  
><strong>Familial Breakdown - <strong>Had a falling out with one of your parents

**Cattapalosa- **Had five cats or more at any one time in the same household

**My Mother, My Teacher - **Home-Schooled for one year

**School days - **Entered High School

**Uncertain Friendships - **Had trouble connecting to the peers in your class

**Gone but not Forgotten - **Lost a beloved lifelong family pet

**Cat-Thing - **Befriended Holly

**Kaiba-Freak - **Befriended Nicki

**The Dense One - **Befriended Chloe

**The Writer in Me - **Discovered love of Writing

**My Gym Teacher Followed Me - **Had the same gym teacher in more than two schools

**A Boyfriend? Really? - **Started Dating (Awkwardly)

**Jackass on the Internet - **Dated someone online for a while and your friends didn't like him

**To Days Gone By - **Graduated High School

**Three Years, Not Two - **Did three years of college instead of the usual two

**Backstabbed - **Befriended and Betrayed by a new friend

**The Dressmaker in Me - **Discovered love of Sewing

**Going Digital - **Began preferring a digital medium when drawing

**A falling Out - **Lost a Best Friend

**The Fellow Writer - **Befriended Josie

**Artistic Mentor - **Befriended Thalia

**Dropping like Flies - **Lost four family pets in less than a year

**Is it Over Yet? - **Finished College

**Tafe attempt - **Attempted a Tafe sewing course, it didn't go well, particularly for your back

**Uni Attempt - **Attempted a bachelor, this didn't go well either

**Got the Glandular - **Contracted Glandular Fever three months into Uni Degree

**Lets try Online - **Did a few courses online

**Left the Nest and Then Some - **Moved interstate right out of home before turning 23

**Animators Attempt - **Lets be honest here, higher education obviously isn't for you

**Oh my Aching Head - **Constant Migraine for two and a half years

**I moved here Because its Cheap - **Moved to a slightly more sequestered area because of the cheap rent

**Tiger in the House - **Got a cat

**There's how Many?! - **Have over 200 original characters, knowing all their names and where they come from all in your head

**What a Lousy Day** - Spent 25th birthday alone at home

**There's Cement on your Head - **Hit and Killed by a Cement Truck! Oh my!

**Total Achievements: 50**

**Additional Achievement**

**Destiny Calls - **Destiny called and now, here you are

**Continue_?**

* * *

><p>Rue couldn't help but smile at the bitter-sweet memories brought forth by the words scrolling before her, it was strange that her life had been narrowed down to 50 small moments in her 25 years on Earth. Her poor cat was likely waiting for her at home, her mother waiting for her to call and friends maybe sparing her a thought once in a while. She couldn't help but wonder about that 'Additional Achievement' at the end, '<em>Destiny Calls huh?'<em> Rue thought to herself. That was a joke. Had to be.

"Continue, I guess," she allowed.

* * *

><p><strong>Congratulations you have unlocked a New Character Class!<strong>

**Discovered New Weapon Sets! Unlocked New Weapon Sets! **

**Discovered New Costumes! Unlocked New Costumes!**

**Loading….**

**Class Selection**

Avatar

**Weapon Set Selection**

**Unlocked Sets**

Short Bow

Long Bow

Broad Sword

Katana

Bowsword

**Discovered Weapon Sets**

Gunblade

Pistol

Shruiken

Staff

Spear

Gloves

Daggers

**Select Avatar_?**

**Select Short Bow_?**

* * *

><p>Upon seeing the word 'Avatar' appear Rue's eyebrows had risen to threaten a disappearance into her hairline, if it meant what she thought it meant someone had some serious explaining to do. She was no Avatar, and certainly no hero for that matter. However it seemed no other 'classes' were available to her, only weapon sets.<p>

"Avatar…?" she mumbled to herself uncertainly not sure of herself. She blinked when a mirror expanded before her to reveal a slightly younger version of herself with glowing white eyes and a determined frown on her face. A window popped up to her right explaining the class type.

* * *

><p><strong>AVATAR CLASS<strong>

**Shortly after The Calamity from the Sky was sealed away by the remaining Centra the Avatar Spirit was banished from the world for not being able to stop it before the damage to the Planet became too much. Unfortunately The Calamity was able to infect the Spirit World and Lifestream just enough for the Planet and the Spirits within it to believe that removing the Avatar was a good idea.**

**Until now the Avatar Spirit has remained dormant in a Parallel Universe during its incarnations for the last two thousand years as a safety measure, now, as The Calamity stirs within its prison the Last Avatar has been called forth in hopes of stopping the carnage to come.**

**As the Master of All Four Elements the Avatar is more powerful than most Centra and has a far deeper connection to nature than even the most adept, at least, that was how it used to be. The last Avatar has her work cut out for her in this regard as there are very few people left to train her in Bending.**

**Please note:  
><strong>Avatar Class comes with Animal Guide Perk<br>The animal you are closest to will automatically be transferred.  
><strong>**

* * *

><p>Rue almost choked on her own spit at the words, 'Calamity from the Sky', 'Centra' and 'Lifestream'. There was no freaking way this shit was going down now, not if she was going to get thrown into an actual video game that she was intimately familiar with. She was not dealing with a homicidal General with a sword longer than she was tall or a walking Emo-Chocobo going through an identity crisis for that matter.<p>

On the other hand, Rue also knew that the screen wouldn't go away until she selected some shit from, what she assumed was, this twisted player select screen-world-thing. Fun times. Taking a deep breath the young woman pursed her lips as she considered her options upon arrival on what she assumed, given her information thus far, was Gaia. Maybe she could just, help from the sidelines? Stay the fuck away from all the danger? Rue snorted at that thought, she doubted it would be that easy and frankly she was far more likely to meddle in the story as much as possible so as to stop the stupid dangerous shit from happening. Yeah, she was insane alright.

"Select Avatar," she sighed in defeat. Fairly certain she was not, in any way, a bender. Although by the sound of it maybe her trusty cat would be with her at least.

* * *

><p><strong>Class Selection Confirmed<strong>

**Avatar Class Confirmed…**

**Select Short Bow_?**

* * *

><p>Rue looked back at the weapons available to her and considered her own comfort levels and previous thoughts during her gaming sessions, she'd recently come to realise she preferred to be an archerthief when possible. She wasn't built to wield heavy ass swords, and she wasn't fond of the idea of being up close to anything she happened to be killing or injuring. Unless you counted Assassins Creed. But who wouldn't have a decent amount of satisfaction when successfully murdering someone you'd been trying to kill for thirty minutes?

Pushing thoughts of stabbing people in the face with a hidden blade out of her mind, Rue focused once again on the list. "Bowsword?" she enquired curiously. She'd only seen one, that was Serah's and it was quite cool.

* * *

><p><strong>Error….<strong>

**Bowsword is not available to starting characters_**

**To obtain this weapon the character must pass a Dexterity and Strength checkpoint as well as a Social checkpoint with the possessor of the weapon.**

**Please select another weapon_**

* * *

><p>Rue groaned at the sight of the words before her, <em>Social Checkpoints<em> meant bad things from her perspective, it meant you had to get people to like you. She would also have to find the person that owned the damned thing in the first place. A sigh escaped her, at least it was a kind of goal: find and obtain a Bowsword, even if she had no idea how to use one. Glancing at the list once more Rue frowned, "alright then," she muttered and decided to be slightly practical and slightly adventurous. "Select Long Bow,"

* * *

><p><strong>Long Bow Selected_<strong>

**Loading….**

**Avatar Class Selected_**

**Long Bow Selected_**

**Confirm?**

* * *

><p>"Confirm," Rue agreed as she wondered what would be required of her next.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Class and Weapon Set Confirmed_<strong>

**Loading….**

**Costume Selection**

**Unlocked Sets**

Festival Rue

Water Tribe Rue (North)

Water Tribe Rue (South)

Fire Nation Rue

Earth Kingdom Rue

Air Nomad Rue

Casual Rue

**Discovered Costume Sets**

Thief Rue

Ninja Rue

Soldier-Girl Rue

Fancy Rue

Summoner Rue

Mechanic Rue

Turk Rue

**Select Casual Rue_?**

* * *

><p>Looking at the new list presented her, Rue couldn't help but feel a slight pull of disappointment at the knowledge she couldn't be a Thief or Ninja right off the bat, though perhaps that was a good thing? She'd be less tempted to try something immensely stupid if she weren't wearing something that alluded she knew what she was doing. Generally when she didn't. Tilting her head the young woman thought about her options, "Water tribe, south," she requested. The mirror came back into view before her and Rue was gifted a look at a much younger version of herself in southern water tribe garb similar in fashion to what Avatar Korra wore. She frowned, not exactly pleased with the sight of her teenagery self, Rue had finished puberty already and wasn't looking for a do-over in that department. Pursing her lips as she thought over the outfit being shown, she didn't really care all that much on the clothing front, it was the age being shown that she was sulking over. Rue doubted she had any say in that though. Another sigh, she was going to be a twenty five year old in a, what, sixteen year olds body? Craptastic. Hormone city here she came. "Select water tribe, south," she told the game-player-select-world-thing she was trapped in.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Water Tribe Rue (South) Selected_<strong>

**Confirm?**

* * *

><p>"Confirm," the annoyance in her tone was all that showed of her aggravation that she was being thrown into the deep end, no matter how anyone looked at it, with little to no actual explanation on the most pressing question: <em>Why?<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Costume Confirmed_<strong>

**Loading….**

**Pre-game Set up Complete_**

**Preparing for Transport_**

**Loading NPC's_**

**Writing Quests_**

**Settling the Chocobos_**

**Prepping Achievements_**

**Loading Complete_**

**Please enjoy your new life Avatar Rue_**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Personally I have no idea what I'm doing or where I'm really going with this, as it's mostly writing itself. **


	2. 0-1 Everybody Hates Tutorials

**::The Last Avatar**::

* * *

><p><strong>0.1<strong>

**Everybody Hates Tutorials****  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"FUCK-!" was the first word out of the blond teens mouth when she awoke. She was lying on the ground, in a forest, in a blue outfit she'd never owned, with a long bow positioned beside her. Typically not an arrow in sight. Looking around the teenager swore again, vehemently, when she realised she had <em>no idea<em> where she was. "You could have at least left me a map you assholes!" she yelled at the sky. She had not expected for a map screen to pop up in front of her face out of nowhere which caused another string of curses to pour from her mouth in surprise. Picking herself up, and being certain to grab the only weapon she had, arrows or no, Rue had a look at the map floating in front of her face. She frowned, her teal coloured eyes flicking across the screen trying to find something she recognised. Nothing stood out. There were no words on the map either, though it looked to be fairly zoomed in, unhelpfully hiding whatever continent she was on. "Helpful," she dead-panned to herself and poked at the map in futile hope it would zoom out or something. Instead the map vanished from her sight and Rue figured tapping and poking at the screens, that would sooner or later show up in her face, dismissed them entirely.

Huffing Rue took a few steps forward, only to hear a strange chime sound and a golden exclamation mark pop up in front of her. An eyebrow raised in intrigue caused her to poke at this strange thing too, hopefully it wouldn't become a habit. Another screen popped up in front of her.

* * *

><p><strong>Tutorial <strong>

**Movement and Navigation**

…

**Movement is as simple as picking a direction and walking in it by moving your short-ass little legs. **

**If you wish to access the navigation menu and map just ask, like, you know, you** _**just**_ **did.**

**Current Location: Southern Wutai**

* * *

><p>Rue's eye was twitching somewhat in aggravation as she read her 'tutorial', it seemed whoever was in charge of these messages was getting sassy with her. At least they'd been kind enough to give her a location, not that it was that helpful, 'Southern Wutai' could mean she was anywhere on the southern part of the island continent. Rue poked at the screen in hopes of getting a more useful tutorial.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Tutorial<strong>

**Quests and Events**

…

**The marker you activated to begin this tutorial is one of many you will encounter on your journey. There are a few variations so listen up pipsqueak!**

…

**Gold** **markers indicate an open quest that you can take on as well as important information/Tutorials **

**Blue** **markers will indicate a repeatable open quest or event.**

**Green** **markers are way-points that must be triggered to continue with an open quest.**

**Grey** **markers indicates a quest or event that requires more actions to be completed before it becomes available to you.**

**Red** **markers indicate a single instance quest or events that have been triggered due to your actions and can only be undertaken at the moment of creation. These quests are much more difficult to complete, but offer better rewards than basic quests.**

**Black** **markers indicate quests and events that must be completed to advance the storyline, effects upon completion will vary greatly upon your status at the time of completion.**

…

**Upon completion of a quest or event you will receive a reward automatically which can include:**

**EXP , AP, GIL or Items**

* * *

><p>Rue had rolled her eyes at the 'pipsqueak' remark, yes, she was short, but the damned tutorial didn't have to rub it in. She took in the quest information, though it was likely she'd have to review it again in the future to clarify something. Humming at the final piece of information the screen offered Rue poked at it to dismiss the information.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>NEW QUESTS UPDATED!<strong>

***Complete the Main Tutorial***

*** Escape the Forest***

…

**Tutorial**

**Quest Journal**

…

**When you receive quests they will be stored in your **_**quest journal**_**, which is stored in a pocket of your **_**bag.**_

* * *

><p>It was at this point that the screen Rue was reading decided to cough up a large blue tote bag and propel it into her face, causing her to stumble backward a few paces as she juggled with the bag and tried not to drop her bow at the same time. She grumbled and glared at the screen before focusing on the new item in her hands. There were more pockets than she was used to, though it reminded her a bit of the bag you're equipped with in the Pokemon games. After checking the contents of her new bag, Rue found she had been granted a few bottles of blue stuff she figured were likely Potions, a reddish-gold tuft of feather in a bottle that was likely a Phoenix Down and a brown leather notebook. Needless to say she was relieved she had a few healing items and had no doubt she would need them sooner rather than later. Particularly considering she <em>still<em> didn't have any damned arrows for her bow and no other way to defend herself as far as she knew.

It was with a barely repressed sigh and a glance at the screen before her that Rue slung the bag and her bow over her shoulder and opened the notebook. It had tabs. It had a _lot_ of tabs. Thankfully it was also fairly straight forward and she found the _main quest_ page to see her two quests slightly glowing on the page. Frowning slightly Rue poked curiously at the words in the book, only to be startled by another screen popping up in front of her nose, again sending her back a few steps. Growling at the screen Rue steadied herself before focusing on the words before her.

* * *

><p><strong>*Complete the Main Tutorial*<strong>

…

**Complete the following tutorials for an EXP bonus and an exclusive item from our sponsors.**

…

**Movement and Navigation 1/1**

**Quests and Events 1/1**

**Quest Journal 0/1**

**Social Interactions 0/1**

**Reputation, Morality and Titles 0/1**

**Experience and Raising your Level 0/1**

**Player Stats 0/1**

**Player Perks 0/1**

**Battle Tutorial 0/1**

**Skills 0/1**

**Materia 0/1**

**Achievements 0/1**

* * *

><p>Rue's main thought upon reading the list before her was something along the lines of: '<em>Sponsors? Really? Who the hell would sponsor this?!'<em>. As she watched the quest journal portion of the tutorial was completed, as such Rue figured she was due to meet someone so she could have her first 'social interaction' tutorial. Of course, she seriously doubted she was going to meet anyone out in the middle of nowhere, in a forest in Southern Wutai.

At that thought she immediately started looking around her for signs of people, cause, hey, if this was a game then someone would show up, like now.

So of course, no-one did.

The suspicious young woman waited around for around ten minutes before she realised that if she was waiting for it then it was unlikely that anything would happen. Glaring down at her Quest Journal Rue figured she should look at the details of her other quest; *Escape the Forest*. Dismissing the last screen Rue poked at her other quest, wondering if there were any other requirements, apart from the obvious.

* * *

><p><strong>*Escape the Forest*<strong>

…

**Player must escape the forest with more than 50% HP and enter civilisation. **

…

**Helpful Tip: Making friends is always helpful, particularly when you ain't got no usable weapons, like you don't right now. **

**Yeah. Make some friends kid. Like Now. Before you die.**

* * *

><p>Rue rolled her eyes at the 'helpful tip', like it wasn't obvious that she needed help. She also resented the fact that she'd been called 'kid' by the 'sassy' screen. Huffing Rue snapped the Quest Journal shut and the screen before her vanished with it. Something she was thankful for, perhaps now she would be able to concentrate on finding someone to help her out. Looking around her again, Rue frowned and a possibility occurred to her, she wasn't banking on it, but if it worked it could save her some time.<p>

"Uh, map please?" she asked hesitantly. A growl escaped her as the damnable thing practically exploded to life in her face again, making her back up once more. This was quickly getting old she decided. Whoever was behind the screens was going to get an arrow somewhere, once she got one, and it wouldn't be the knee.

Snorting at the lameness of her thoughts Rue focused on the stupidly zoomed in map screen before her, there wasn't much to see and no discernible path to take, nor any green way-points in sight. "Um, show filters?" she queried. She winced and waited for an error or something telling her she was out of luck, she was surprised however when a small 'ding' sounded and another, smaller, screen appeared over her map.

* * *

><p><strong>Attention!<strong>

**You have requested information you do not yet have access to!**

* * *

><p>Rue immediately deflated at the words, there went her hope of an easier way out of her current predicament.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>However<strong>

…

**For using your brain and utilising your own past experiences you have been awarded a bonus!**

**+EXP 100**

**+Gil 400**

**+Skill - Scan lvl 1**

**+Item - Leather Bracer**

…

**Enjoy, Shorty!**

* * *

><p>Rue yelped as a small bag of what she assumed was Gil and a Leather Bracer were promptly thrown at her face by the screen, which, naturally, sent her reeling backwards once again. It was unfortunate that she ended up falling over, but at least her newest acquisitions hadn't hit her. She was about to reach for the bracer when yet another screen in her face startled her. Yeah. It was getting old.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Congratulations!<strong>

**Your quick manoeuvring allowed you to unlock another skill!**

**+Skill - Dodge lvl 1**

…

**Careful kiddo, don't wanna take on too much at once, yeah?**

* * *

><p>Rue was now glowering at the screen. Taking a deep calming breath she quickly dismissed both screens and picked up the bracer and bag of Gil, almost waiting for the next screen now she had some skills for it to inform her about. She wasn't wrong it seemed when a screen did, in fact appear before her. For once, not showing up right in front of her nose. Not that she had anywhere else to back into now that Rue was leaning against a tree.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Tutorial<strong>

**Skills**

…

**It appears you've acquired a skill or two, well done, even toddlers have skills moron. **

**So don't pat yourself on the back yet, you haven't figured out use 'em on your own, now have you?**

**First things first**

…

**To activate the **_**Scan**_ **skill you need only examine an object, person or monster of your choosing. **

**Doing so will allow you to discover things such as; an opponents level, HP and weaknesses; what an item is, should you not know; who someone is and their status'. **

**You can also use the **_**Scan**_ **skill to activate the **_**Player Stat Screen**_**, by scanning your reflection and have access to the filters on your Map.**

…

**Oh yeah**

…

**Your **_**dodge**_ **skill is just that, an ability to get out of the fucking way of things. It's only a level one skill so, you know, you're still gonna be kinda clumsy and shit, but at least you have it. **

…

**You can level up your skills by using them, the higher the skill's level the better they work. **

**In the higher levels of the **_**Scan**_ **skill you will be able to see more details of whatever, or whoever, you happen to scan.**

* * *

><p>Upon reading her newest tutorial Rue found herself wanting to bash her head against the tree she was leaning against. Honestly, who wrote these things? Usually tutorials were far more formal and, well, these ones were actually insulting her and, in this case, swearing at her.<p>

"Gods I hate tutorials," she grumbled as she poked it away. Looking down Rue figured she should probably just equip the bracer in her hand now and stow the Gil in her new bag. Knowing her right wrist was the weaker and needed the extra support Rue wrapped the piece of leather around it awkwardly, taking note of the two slots in the strip that she assumed were for Materia. She was almost looking forward to that, almost. With her luck she'd probably set herself on fire or something.

As Rue finished tying her bracer onto her wrist a flash of silver caught her eye and before she could blink Rue found herself on the wrong end of what looked to be a very, _very_, long sword.

Her only thought: _Holy_ _Fuck Nuggets_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Didn't make that last bit half obvious but hey, still don't know where in the timeline we are, maybe? Took me a while to get this out, the 'somewhat-sassy' tutorial writers went on strike or something halfway through the chapter and I had to use bribes to bring them back. **

**The next chapter is going to be fun to write, at least the first little bit. *snickers***

**RLK**


	3. 0-2 Awkward Social Interactions

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>0.2<strong>

**Awkward Social Interaction****  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Pale green eyes. It was all she could focus on without completely flipping out. Of course while they weren't exactly the most human looking eyes, they didn't look like the eyes of a mad man either. Not that Rue knew what the eyes of a mad man looked like. They were hard though, like looking at ice or steel, or maybe frozen steel? <em>Pft, something along those lines anyway. <em>

"Um," she started stupidly. She watched him tense slightly, as though he was expecting her to attack. Which was laughable. He was Sephiroth. She had no usable weapons and he was a trained killer. Though she had to wonder why she wasn't dead yet. _Good question._

"Put down the weapon," he ordered. She blinked at him for a moment and glanced at the bow she'd slung over her shoulder. He could not be serious, there was no way she was an actual threat to him of all people. Unfortunately this train of thought allowed her to temporarily forget who she was dealing with and her natural humour roared to life with a vengeance. "I will not repeat myself woman," he warned he tersely. Rue rolled her eyes and gave him as unimpressed a look as she could muster being on the wrong end of Masamune. _You think he's compensating for something?_

"Yeah, because me holding a bow when you have a seven foot long katana pointed at me is going to be a problem," she pointed out sarcastically. The Silver General didn't move, the look in his eyes told her he was serious. She snorted and raised her arms in amusement, cause really, what else could she do at this point? "Do you SEE any arrows?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. His pale green eyes flicked over her and he seemed to frown minutely.

"No," he answered after a moment.

"Okay then, now, how much of a threat is one teenage girl with a bow and no arrows to YOU of all the people I could have come across?" she asked him with a sigh. This was really _not_ her day. _Is it ever?_

"You do not look Wutian," he noted with a slightly more pronounced frown. The fact that the man before her was emoting at all set off alarm bells in Rue's slightly stunned brain. It took a moment for her to realise he was likely waiting for her to say something else, not that she was very sure what she could say.

It was unfortunate that before Rue could actually make a decent first impression that another screen exploded in front of her face making her yelp and stumble as she pressed her self further into the tree behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>Congratulations!<strong>

**You have entered your first Social Interaction!**

…

**This activated_**

…

**Tutorial**

**Social Interaction **

…

**Social Interactions are triggered when you start a conversation with others. How well the Interaction goes can depend on **_**Reputation, Morality, Title**_ **and your past Interactions with the individual you are Interacting with. **

**Social Interactions are important as they can lead to new quests, solutions to current quests and can trigger important events.**

**For your first Social Interaction we recommend being NICE to the man with the pointy piece of metal aimed at you. So quit the sarcasm dummy.**

* * *

><p>Rue was starting to wonder just how helpful these 'tutorials' would actually be. This one, for starters, was about as unhelpful as it could have been. She did note, however, that Sephiroth, because it was indeed him no matter how she looked at it, had lowered his blade slightly after her reaction. Perhaps he thought she didn't recognise him at first and when she did had panicked when she realised how she'd spoken to him? Hell, she'd go with that. Easier than explaining about the screen in her face that she suspected he couldn't see. <em>Good plan.<em>

"I apologise, I seem to have startled you," she heard him say. Blinking Rue focused on him through the tutorial screen, he seemed, different than she'd been expecting. Less cold and more, well, she didn't really have a word ready for what it was he seemed to be like right now.

"No, no, it's fine, I'm fine, I just-um-I-You-Crap," Rue stumbled over her words like the teenager she looked like. Taking a deep breath she tried again, attempting to be smoother. "Sorry, I'm not really used to being in life threatening situations. I just sorta woke up here and found the bow next to me, no arrows, just the bow and then you showed up and-and-yeah," she finished lamely. Rue had, thankfully, been intelligent enough to use her referral to him to appear to point at him and poke the screen before her out of existence at the same time. Thus dismissing the distracting screen so she could focus on the, very young looking, man before her. _I believe the words you are looking for are: Hummuna Hummuna._

Rue watched as a silver brow raised dubiously, the small frown still on his face as his eyes started swiftly scanning the area. Honestly she didn't blame him if he was suspicious, the whole situation was highly suspicious if she was honest with herself. Also terrifying. She could lose her shit later, when there was less chance of being turned into a shish kebab. _Stay calm. You aren't dead yet._

"You're alone?" he asked after a moment. Rue nodded in affirmation, she recalled something about her pet being transferred as well, but she wasn't sure when that was going to happen, if at all. Or what form the little cat might take.

"Um, yeah, as far as I know," she shifted slightly against the tree.

"You do not look Wutian," he commented again. Rue felt her mouth twitch, she really wanted to say something there and wondered if it would help break the ice, so to speak, or make matters worse. _I'd do it._

"I don't," she agreed with a smile, "I thought you didn't repeat yourself," Rue added. She didn't try to hide the small smile on that crossed her face, hopeful that he wouldn't remove her head for making a small funny. Or attempting to at least. She did briefly wonder about her own sanity for possibly antagonising one of the most dangerous people she could have ever come across. A small snort of a shadow of amusement brought that train of thought to a grinding halt. _Did he just laugh? Score! _

"It is a rare occasion that I do," he admitted an almost smile was threatening to form in the corner of his mouth. Or maybe she was just nuts and imagining things. Probably the latter if she was being realistic. "If you are not Wutian, what are you doing in a war zone?" the almost smile was gone now. "Media?" Rue blinked at the single word before she realised he was asking her if she was a reporter. He did realise she was a teenager right? Or looked like one at least.

"Oh, no I'm not a journalist, I'm-well-just me, I guess," Rue frowned at herself. She could have said a number of things, but her mouth had decided to be awkward instead. _Very descriptive. Well done._

"Civilian, then?" he was frowning at her again. Only minutely, but it was there, she thought.

"Um, yeah," she gave a nod along with her verbal answer. Wondering the whole time where this was going and if he would help get her out of the forest. It was on her quest that she should find someone to help her after all.

"Where are you from?" at that question Rue's train of thought was once again brought to a screeching halt. She couldn't exactly say she was born in a place that, from his perspective, doesn't exist. Realising she probably looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car Rue took a deep breath an answered the question as vaguely as she could.

"Northern Continent," she told him with a shrug. She hoped he wouldn't ask for a less vague answer.

"Icicle area?" no such luck. _As always._

"Ah, no, I was born in…" Rue squinted slightly as she ran through places she knew were on the Northern Continent. "Modeoheim, but my mother is kinda like a gypsy, we move a lot," she explained with a small smile. She wasn't exactly lying in that regard. "I haven't lived in Modeo for a while cause of that," she shrugged again and hoped Sephiroth wouldn't call her bluff.

"I do not believe I've been to Modeoheim myself, just Icicle," were his only comments. Rue's smile got a little bigger, he really wasn't as cold as she'd thought he would be. Or maybe it was the weird situation of finding a lone teenage girl in the middle of a war zone, that didn't fawn all over him, that allowed for some awkward talking.

"Oh yeah? It's not much different, at least not when I was there, has hot springs though," Rue was exceedingly glad her memory wasn't failing her miserably.

"You said you woke up here, where were you before?" that was easily the question of the day from Rue's perspective. She gave an unenthusiastic laugh as she rubbed her neck awkwardly.

"Actually I'm not so sure about that, myself," she answered honestly. Thinking back to that weird ass 'loading screen' after her apparent death was a little disturbing on a couple of levels. "I can't seem to remember where I was," she told him after a moment.

It was odd to watch the man who would one day attempt to destroy the world sigh, but there he was, sighing. He glanced around them again and placed Masamune back in her sheath behind him.

"I am currently on an important mission, however I cannot just leave an unarmed civilian alone either, you will have to come with me until we can get you to safety, miss," he told her in a much more professional tone than he'd been using up until that point. Rue blinked in surprise, she hadn't been expecting that at all. In fact she hadn't been expecting a conversation period, let alone for him to invite her along. Of course, perhaps, his reasons were more about keeping company secrets than her safety. _Help is help. Go with it._

"Thank you, I'd really appreciate it," Rue gave him a proper, grateful, smile. "I'm Rue," she added after realising she hadn't actually told him her name. Not that he'd introduced himself either, her brain reminded her. _So you're both hopeless then. That's something._

"Sephiroth," he told her with a nod. He then motioned for Rue to follow him before turning to move deeper into the forest at a reasonable pace.

"Okaaaay, I guess we're going then," Rue muttered and, glancing around to make sure she has everything, jogged after Sephiroth, settling into pace beside him. Admittedly a hard thing to do due to his stupidly long legs. She silently cursed him for them, and Hojo too while she was at it. Yes. Rue would blame Hojo for everything and anything until she had solid evidence that it was someone else's fault.

* * *

><p>They walked together in silence, Rue had almost tripped a few times in the low light of the forest, but managed to right herself each time without any help from the stoic man walking beside her. She had noticed a few odd looks from him, particularly when she had begun walking next to him in the beginning, but had refrained from commenting though, if only to prevent any more awkwardness. Rue had always been a bit awkward with strangers, add into it her knowledge of what the man beside her would become and she'd quickly found that she had no idea what to say to the man. As it was, the silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, something she was deeply grateful for, but still, she did want to know where they were going. <em>Should probably ask then.<em>

"So," she began after a moment of considering what she was actually going to say. "Where are we going?" she asked hesitantly. Looking up at him, she damned his height again, he seemed to consider her carefully. She guessed what he was thinking fairly easily. "You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious and trying to keep my mind off of the fact that I have no idea where actually I am," she assured him. The silver brow raised again. "What? I have a brain, I know how to use it and I can read between the lines," she told him indignantly. After which she added, "usually," in a much more subdued tone. _Train wreck in progress. Keep talking._

"I see," he sounded amused. "I am meeting a colleague around here, then we will be attending a meeting and returning to the main camp," Sephiroth explained. Rue noted that he did not use any names and remained vague enough so he didn't give anything away.

"Very vague, well done," her mouth twisted into a smile.

"I try," upon glancing back up at him Rue notices that, although his mouth may not be smiling there was a rather distinct amused glint in his luminescent pale green eyes.

"So all I know, is we're in Wutai, you're here and headed to a meeting with a 'colleague' who you're meeting on the way," Rue used her fingers to count the pieces of information that she actually had. It was likely his 'colleague' was another SOLDIER operative or a Turk, though she wasn't sure what the 'meeting' could be about.

"That is correct," he seemed distracted as he answered her. They'd stopped walking and Sephiroth was scanning the area around them with thinned eyes, Rue noted he had a hand on Masamune's hilt. _Uh oh._

"Sephiroth, it would appear you've picked up a stray," a male voice commented. Rue jumped as she hadn't been expecting someone to start talking suddenly, turning she saw a man emerge from the shadows. He wore a black suit and his brown eyes were fixed on Rue with an intensity that made her squirm uncomfortably.

"Tseng," Sephiroth acknowledged with a nod. Rue shifted awkwardly under the Turk's stare, he still hadn't looked away from her.

Rue glanced at Sephiroth imploring him silently to do something, it was unfortunate that all he did was raise that infernal eyebrow of his and tilt his head to the side. His green eyes, however, were laughing at her. Rue frowned at him and sent a glare his way. _Typical._

"Fine," she grumbled at him. Looking back to the highly suspicious Turk who was now looking between the two of them with a small frown on his face and his eyes more suspicious than before. "So, I'm Rue, civilian, born in Modeoheim and I have no idea how I got out here," she gave the Turk a small wave. When his face didn't change, nor did the suspicion that practically oozed from him lessen. "Um, also, fun fact, I don't actually know how to use the bow on my shoulder and have no arrows on me anyway," her hands swung uselessly at her sides as she stood before the Turk awkwardly.

"She's harmless Tseng, a civilian, like she said," Sephiroth finally deigned to intervene._ Yup, totally harmless. That's us._

"You're certain of that, are you?" Tseng finally spoke again. Naturally only to Sephiroth, something that Rue did not fail to note.

"She has stumbled a total of twenty four times since I found her, has not asked any questions a spy would be expected to, offered information without much prodding on my part and hasn't attempted to attack me at all," Sephiroth stated calmly. Rue was surprised, it was the most he'd said since they'd met.

Looking back she found herself being appraised by Tseng again, and although the suspicion was still present, there was a curiosity she wasn't sure was a good thing in his gaze now. It made her want to run screaming from the area. _Sounds like a plan._

It seemed like Tseng was about to say something to her, finally, when a growl behind them alerted them all to the danger. Turning all Rue could see were a pair of luminescent yellow eyes in the darkness of the forest.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Damn, this chapter just poured out. Not sure how pleased I am with it, but the next one should have a few more funnies. We only had one screen this chapter to make up for all ones we had last chapter. There will likely be more next chapter, in the presence of Tseng and Sephiroth, so that will be fun! <strong>

**Please review guys, I always like to know what others think of my writing. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**RLK**


	4. 0-3 From Cat to Coeurl

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>0.3<strong>

**From Cat to Coeurl****  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Rue found herself frozen by the piercing eyes staring at her from the darkness, or rather, she realised with a blink, staring at Tseng quite pointedly with a good deal of malice. Before she could say anything about that particular observation a stripy, spotty, and rather angry, cat-like creature sprung from the darkness that surrounded them and landed heavily on the stunned Turk with a snarl.<p>

Sephiroth had Masamune out before Rue could think, Tseng was struggling with the creature, though, strangely, it appeared to be threatening rather than mauling him. Watching the scene unfold blankly Rue found the creature growling at the Turk was rather familiar, the noises coming from it in particular were rather- Sephiroth stepped in front of her and halted her train of thought. Again. _He's good at that._

When Rue realised that Sephiroth meant to attack the creature she instinctively stepped forward to stop him. She knew, just knew, that the creature snarling at Tseng, was not attacking him, but simply protecting her from a perceived threat.

"Tera!" she called out sharply. The snarling halted and the creature almost whimpered as it looked back at the teenage girl staring wide eyed at the amazing animal before her. Tera was now easily the size of a large dog, the claws that Rue had once called 'deadly' now really, well and truly were. There were however, a few oddities that made Rue's eyebrows want to crawl up her forehead and into her hairline. For example, the cat, if she could be called that now, had a pure white furry mane framing her head and, strangely, two white and purple whiskers in place of where her normal ones had once been. _Kinda cool now._

However, beyond that Tera's colouring had remained mostly the same, her Bengal heritage far more obvious now she was larger than the small domestic cat she'd been the last time Rue had seen her. Her sandy coloured coat was littered with dark brown spots and a few stripes here and there, her muzzle and belly were white, though the latter had some spots covering it.

Looking into the creatures golden eyes, Rue knew, for certain, that this was her pet, her 'animal guide' as it were. All she could think about was how amazing her beloved cat looked, and how smug she looked as she pinned Tseng to the ground with her large paws. Oh. She should probably call Tera off. _Probably. _

Glancing up at Sephiroth, who was studying her critically with a slight frown on his face if those slightly furrowed brows were anything to go by. Rue sighed and moved forward towards Tera and Tseng who was still trapped beneath the large creature. What in the hell had they done to her cat? "Tera, sweetie, get off the nice Turk now," she asked her furry friend. Tera, to her credit, had the sense to do as her owner requested, for once, and got off Tseng, though not without some unnecessary clawing as she jumped off the now rather rumpled looking Turk. _HA!_

"What's a Coeurl doing here? Aren't they native to the Northern Continent?" Tseng asked as he straightened himself. Rue looked down at Tera who was now pressed against her side protectively as she glared molten gold at Tseng.

"Well that _is_ where I'm from, if you'd listen and stop being so suspicious," Rue rolled her eyes at the dark haired man. He stared at her for a moment, before looking down at the 'Coeurl' at her side and then back again.

"You have a monster as a pet?" he asked with a frown. Rue, knowing about Rufus' own monster pet, not that she was supposed to know about it, just smiled brightly even if she was still wrapping her head around all of this within her own mind. _Don't panic, you're fine._

"Well, Tera was much smaller last time we met," Rue admitted with a shrug. She wasn't lying, so Tseng couldn't call her on it.

"He's quite ferocious," Sephiroth commented lightly. Tera growled warningly at him as her tail wrapped possessively around Rue's legs. Only stopping when her owners hand made contact with the top of her head.

"She, actually," Rue smirked down at her transformed cat. "Meet Tera the Terrible Terror," Rue was incapable of keeping a straight face when she said her pets full name. _Seriously? Best. Name. Ever._

Upon hearing her own name the Coeurl made the high-pitched 'brrr' noise that Rue had always identified with her beloved cat, and possessively rubbed her face against Rue's hip.

"_She_ attacked me," Tseng glared at her heatedly. His hair was falling out of the neat ponytail he'd had it in and his suit was rumpled, Rue thought it was good for him.

"_You_ were threatening me," she countered without missing a beat.

"You-"

"Tseng I believe this can wait, are we not late as it is?" Sephiroth defused the tense conversation brusquely. Though he did look a mite perplexed and uncomfortable at the way she and Tseng were glaring at each other.

"I don't trust her," Rue rolled her eyes at his comment. _Does he trust anyone? _

"Fine, search me if you think it'll make you feel better," with that she tossed her bag at his face. Rue had a sudden empathy with whoever was in charge of her tutorials, throwing things suddenly at peoples faces was amusing when you weren't on the receiving end.

It was as if the thought of her tutorials had summoned one as yet another screen exploded to life in front of her face. Thankfully, Rue managed not to react as vocally as she had the last time and only flinched a little. Tera's presence behind her kept her from stepping back, something she was grateful for.

* * *

><p><strong>Tutorial<strong>

**Reputation, Morality and Titles**

…

**During Social Interactions the way you react to others influences how they perceive you. This in turn influences your overall Reputation. For example; being standoffish and argumentative towards someone who is acting that way towards you, will cause them to have a negative perception of you. Thus pushing your Reputation into the negatives, where it kinda already is. **

**Might want to work on that, kiddo.**

**There are also two kinds of Reputation, your Reputation with the people you're currently around and overall Reputation with Society as a whole.**

**Morality is tied to your Reputation, if you act in a bitchy way to people then it's probably going to go down. If you act nicer and were to, I don't know, take the high road instead of being a brat, you might find it going up.**

**But hey, it's your call.**

**Your Title, is tied to the previous two, but is also tied to how you're seen by society as a whole. Make a name for yourself, good or bad, and people are likely to hear about it. **

**Titles can change at the drop of a hat, and can also be influenced by; what you wear, who you're friends with, how well you perform in quests and how you act in public.**

…

**Current Reputation: **_**Negative/Neutral - **__The Avatar has been ejected from Gaia upon failing repeatedly to keep balance in the world. The few that know it even existed aren't all that impressed to be honest. Turks don't like you much right now either._

**Current Morality: **_**Neutral-Chaotic -**_ _You're a fence sitter, who likes to fuck with people for kicks_

**Current Title: **_**Ava-what now? - **__Nobody's heard of you and they really don't care._

…

* * *

><p>Rue was really beginning to hate her tutorials. They were taking the fun out of things. Though she supposed it wouldn't kill her to be a little <em>nicer<em> to the high strung Turk. Even if he did have a valid reason for his distrust, Rue had done and said nothing to actually warrant it. He didn't need to know she was lying through her teeth about where she was from, what else could she say? The truth? _Like they'd believe us anyway. You don't even believe it._

"Potions, a phoenix down and a blank notebook," Rue focused back on Tseng through the screen. He was done with her bag it seemed, though he almost looked put out that she had nothing incriminating in it. He handed it back with a nod that looked like it could have been painful if the grimace on his face was anything to go by. He wasn't happy she was clean. Rue used her taking the bag back to dismiss the tutorial screen, hoping she'd been discrete and neither Turk nor SOLDIER had noticed. She certainly wasn't feeling sneaky right now and considered it a very good thing she hadn't been able to choose 'ninja' or 'thief' for her 'costumes' right off the bat.

"As I told you, Rue is a civilian, now if you are done wasting time," Sephiroth verbally prodded Tseng. With a sigh and a hesitant glance down at Tera, Tseng nodded before turning and walking in the direction Sephiroth had been leading her in prior to his appearance. As he walked away Rue mouthed the words 'thank you' to Sephiroth who also nodded to her and motioned for her to follow once more.

Rue needed little prompting and followed after her unlikely and rather temporary protector with Tera bouncing around her lightly on long spindly legs and looking quite pleased with herself. _Brat._

"Tera, behave for once," she pleaded quietly with the Coeurl. There was a playful and rather feral glint in her companions eyes that Rue knew was a precursor to the cat getting into all manner of mischief. She watched as Tera glanced at Sephiroth who appeared to be slowing his pace so Rue could catch up, or maybe that was all in her head. Yeah. That was it.

Once the two were walking side by side Tera seemed content in Rue's safety and bounded off into the darkness to do who-knew-what, though Rue had a feeling the Coeurl wouldn't go far. She glanced up at the stupidly tall man beside her, yeah, she needed some taller shoes or maybe she could find some materia that would make her taller. Or a djinn, did djinn exist on Gaia? She couldn't remember.

"It seems the Coeurl-" Rue gave him a look, "-Tera-" he corrected quickly, "approves of my protection for the moment," Rue snickered at that. The words were awkward and uncertain, things she would never have attributed to Sephiroth before now. Maybe he was younger than she thought he was?

"Yeah," Rue heard herself agreeing distantly. Her mind was on his behaviour thus far and how it seemed slightly less icicle-like and more, awkward teenage boy with too many hormones. She blinked at that thought. No. No, no, no,no,no. No. Bad thoughts. Coughing lightly Rue quickly realised she could hardly talk anymore now she'd been time-warped back to her teenage years and glanced around for a subject change to get her mind out of the gutter. "So," was she really _this_ awkward? "I stumbled twenty-four times?" she asked after a moment of fighting her irritatingly blank mind.

That was when he decided to chuckle. Rue hated him for that. Really. Truly. Hated him. The sound made her heart speed up slightly and unwanted heat rise in her cheeks. She wasn't even going to mention what that sound did to her knees. It was embarrassing how easily he pulled that reaction from her. She kinda hoped he didn't notice. _Since when are you that lucky?_

"Indeed, I wasn't aware that it was possible to be that clumsy," the corner of his mouth twitched as he spoke. It was obvious he'd found her lack of coordination more than just amusing. Rue cursed her lack of grace at this point in her life, not that she had much more when she was twenty-five if she was honest.

"And you counted, because why?" she was starting to dislike Sephiroth's sense of humour. _Still hot though._

"It was entertaining," he shrugged at her. Rue stared at him for a long moment before closing her eyes and shaking her head at him. She shouldn't have. Really. If she hadn't maybe she would have been able to dodge the startlingly bright pink lizard that threw itself at her. As it was, one moment she was walking peacefully next to Sephiroth and the next she was flat on her back trying to stop the blasted monster from eating her face. She really wasn't cut out for this shit.

Sephiroth and Tseng pulled the pink monstrosity off her before disposing of it. Much to her relief. She'd even escaped mostly unharmed, a few scratches on her arm were nothing when one owned a hyperactive cat. _Speaking of._

Tera chose then to bound up to Rue in distress, checking her mistress over for injuries and growling when she located the scratches. The Coeurl 'mrow-d' at Rue as she butted her head against the teen before she began to prowl around the three humans protectively, growling lowly in warning to any other monsters in the area.

"You alright?" Rue looked up at the Turk suddenly standing in front of her. She grinned at him and held up her arm, the scratches weren't deep and hardly hurt, barely worth mentioning really. He had asked though. _An olive branch?_

"Had worse from her," she nodded to the aggravated Coeurl pacing around them.

"I don't doubt it," he was still suspicious, but it was his job to be. Rue was relieved that he appeared less so now, perhaps he'd eavesdropped on her awkward conversation with Sephiroth? It looked like he might have continued making nice with her, however Sephiroth approached the two of them and tossed her a small softly glowing green ball.

"I found this earlier, you can have it," he told her nonchalantly. Rue would have opened her mouth but;

* * *

><p><strong>CONGRATULATIONS!<strong>

**ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!**

***Magical Glow-y Balls of Doom***

_**You have acquired your very first Materia, well done!**_

* * *

><p>The brightly coloured words exploded to life in front of her eyes and Rue very nearly dropped the gift in surprise as she jumped. Thankfully the words did not stick around like the tutorials and vanished as quickly as they'd appeared. Closing her eyes and swallowing back the string of expletives that wanted to pour from her mouth, Rue smiled at Sephiroth as warmly as she could manage.<p>

"Thank you, um, what kind is it?" she asked hesitantly. _This is new. What is that? Never seen anything like that before._

"You've never used Materia before?" Tseng seemed somewhat surprised. Rue just gave him a flat look.

"We were never all that well off and not everyone has Materia available to them or a reason to learn anything about them, or did you forget that Mr. Spy?" the words came out unbidden. Rue just rolled with it, it was all she could do and would continue to do until she had a moment to sit and breath and think. _Just focus on the now._

"My apologies, I'm not used to dealing with civilians," Tseng shifted slightly in discomfort. When he glanced at the space beside her hip the teenage girl realised her pet Coeurl had come to settle next to her now her prowling. Sighing lightly Rue placed a hand on Tera's head to stop the barely audible growling coming from the grumpy creature.

"It's fine," she looked to Sephiroth hoping to prompt him to answer her question.

"It's a Restore, seems like you could use one," he was looking pointedly at her arm as he spoke. Looking down at the scratches, the green Restore in her hand and then back to the silver haired man Rue nodded in thanks. "I'll walk you through using it later, right now we need to keep moving," he added after a pause.

"Agreed, we can't keep Kisaragi waiting long," Tseng commented as both men turned and started walking.

Rue just stared after them. Tseng had said Kisaragi, as in Godo? As in Yuffie's dad?

_Ah shit._

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: So, this chapter got away from me a little, but I did need to set some things up for the future so here we are. I do know that Coeurl's are spelled differently in the original game due to a mistranslation, but honestly, same thing different spelling and all that. Tera is a BengalXRagdoll domestic cat who enjoys tormenting her owner and getting into all kinds of problems. I suspect Yuffie will adore her.<br>Before I wrote this chapter I had to stop and do some serious Character Age Math, needless to say it hurt my brain. Hopefully everyone is at least in the right age range if my math was right. _**

**_Now before I sign off for the night I'd just like to thank everyone who has faved, alerted, reviewed and just took time out of their day to read the Shenanigans of Avatar Rue so far. You all rock. _**

**_TLDR: You guys are awesome, next chapter should be out soon! _**

**_RLK_**


	5. 0-4 A Meeting Gone Sour

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>0.4<strong>

**A Meeting Gone Sour  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Tutorial<strong>

**Achievements**

…

**Achievements are much like optional goals that the player can endeavour to perform, some Achievements also have material rewards when completed. **

**You can check your Achievements from the Player Stats Screen.**

…

**Current Achievements Completed: **2

…

**Good luck with that Kiddo!**

* * *

><p>Rue's eye was twitching as she carefully dismissed the annoying screen before her. That could not have been a tutorial, and when had she gotten another Achievement? She only remembered the one about her new Restore Materia that was safely tucked into her bag. She'd use it later on the small scratches on her arm she'd gotten from what Sephiroth had called a Tail Vault; they weren't even hurting her now. <em>You have a high pain threshold remember? Be careful.<em>

She should have known better to think about something she didn't really want to know about.

* * *

><p><strong>CONGRATULATIONS!<strong>

**ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!**

***World Jumper***

_**Successfully made it to Gaia through the Time/Space portal!**_

* * *

><p>The sudden appearance of more colourful words dancing in front of her face cause Rue to stumble again and though she didn't fall, had Tera not steadied her mistress it was likely she would have. Again she swallowed back the string of curses that wanted to pour from her mouth, she seriously doubted her present company would appreciate such language when they were already rather tense.<p>

Yes, it seemed the closer they got to the meeting place the more wound up Sephiroth and Tseng seemed to get. Both men appeared to set up like coiled springs and ready to snap into action at a moments notice. It was even making Rue edgy, which in turn, was making Tera edgy and that was unlikely to be a good thing. The Coeurl kept growling at nothing and Tseng had to keep asking her to quiet her pet.

"Alright, we're here," upon hearing the Turk's words Rue looked up.

They were on the edges of what appeared to be an ancient stone Colosseum or something similar from the design. It was obviously Asian in design, so Rue figured it was likely an old Wutain site. There were a lot of people on the other side of the open area, she couldn't make them out in the twilight of sunset, but she figured the tall heavy set man in the front of the others was likely Godo Kisaragi. Leader of Wutai and father of her favourite Ninja Princess. _This should be entertaining._

"Rue," Sephiroth didn't look at her as he spoke, his eyes trained on the small army before them. "Just stay behind us, don't speak and if things go badly find some cover," she noted his hand was gripping the hilt of Masamune tightly.

"Okay, I'll try to stay out of the way," Rue assured them quietly.

"You should probably keep Tera close, try not to let her wander off, it might upset them," Tseng added. He seemed a little wary of the Coeurl by Rue's side, though she didn't blame him. Tera hadn't exactly made a good first impression with the Turk. Nodding in agreement, Rue placed her hand on Tera's head gently as they began to walk towards the gathering on the other side.

Seeing the Wutian soldiers who were armed to the teeth shifting tensely upon seeing Sephiroth moving fluidly towards them, Rue found herself suddenly very aware of where she was. This was a war zone. A war zone in a fictional universe. She had _died _and been transfered here somehow. Sephiroth was eventually going to go nuts and try to kill everyone at some point in the future. Her cat had been turned into a monster. And oh god she was going to throw up. _Breath. Stop thinking and breath. _

Tera rubbed her head against Rue's side bringing her back out of the torrent of fear that had begun to overflow in her put of her stomach. Looking down she gave the Coeurl a grateful smile and rubbed the creatures ears in an effort to calm them both down. The familiar action worked up to a point, Rue was able to zone out a little as Sephiroth and Tseng began their talks with Godo and, she squinted, his guards. What were they called? Wu-something. Ah. The Wusheng. That's right. _Good memory._

Looking around them, she had a feeling that these talks, whatever they were about, would not, in fact, end well. There were far to many soldiers here for this to be about peace. No. This was about something else. At least for Godo.

Tseng was doing most of the talking and it seemed Sephiroth was only there for intimidation purposes. She would have thought he was bored if not for the continued grip on his blade. Godo did not look happy, all his body language indicated not only was he not interested in what Tseng was telling him, but that he was becoming more agitated and aggressive. At least that's what it seemed like where Rue was standing, Tseng didn't look to bothered by Godo yelling in his face; but again, that was part of the man's job. _Punch 'im Tseng! I would!_

"I will not allow one of your damned Reactors on our Ancestral land!" Rue blinked as the agitated man roared at Tseng. To his credit the Turk didn't even appear to flinch in the slightest and Rue found a tad more respect for the man getting spat on as Godo was practically frothing at the mouth in his rage. Unfortunately his raised voice put Tera on edge and she growled softly in warning. Rue rubbed the Coeurl's ears again, in an attempt to stop Tera from pouncing on the man as he had with Tseng and to alleviate some of her returning stress. She hadn't missed the attention that had suddenly been placed on her because of her protective pet's growl, some of the soldiers and one of the Wusheng were eyeing her over. Assessing how much of a threat she was when this turned all the way south. Because they all knew it would. _It's good you can read a room like this._

Sephiroth shifted slightly, bringing the attention back to himself with ease and Rue wondered briefly if he'd done it on purpose. She watched, almost fascinated, as he seemed to coil up even tighter while his grip on Masamune's hilt tightened. And then, everything happened at once.

She wasn't sure how it started, or what the catalyst really was, but suddenly everyone had their weapons out and Tseng had her by the wrist, tugging her down and away from Sephiroth. It was so loud. The bangs, she supposed distantly, were likely the Wutain soldiers shooting their guns at them. She could hear the ring of Masamune flying through the air, men shouting and a few roars of whatever monsters they'd loosed on the 'Demon of Wutai' if Rue remembered correctly. She could feel her probably uncomfortably tight grip on Tera's mane, keeping the Coeurl with her and out of the fray. _Just breath._

Tseng pulled her behind what appeared to be a rock formation from the little Rue could see in the darkness early evening. He looked a little frazzled and led her to the back of the small indent in the rock.

"Stay here, stay down, it'll be over soon and we'll come get you and then we can all go home," he told her tensely. He was obviously trying to reassure her, it wasn't working all that well, but Rue gave him a small smile and a nod.

"Okay, I'll be fine, Tera's here if someone finds me and I can always beat someone over the heat with my bow if need be," she lightly punched the Turks arm in a light attempt to calm the man down. Was Tseng always this tense in the games? No. He was nowhere near as self assured he acted in the games. He looked a little younger too now she thought about it. "Stay safe, I don't want to have to use all my potions and MP patching you two up, you know," she grinned at him. Tseng stared at her a moment and then snorted at her words.

"Got it, I'll tell him you said that," with those somewhat amused words Tseng stood and headed back out to the battle. The moment he was gone Rue's smile faded, she was not liking this trip to Gaia at all so far. There was way too much danger and she'd only been there a few hours.

"What next?" the slightly exasperated words were almost like a challenge to the universe. Well, the universe didn't want to disappoint. _You don't want to know._

* * *

><p><strong>!*~*~*BONUS SCENE*~*~*!<strong>

_Sephiroth pulled back slightly when he saw Tseng run back out into the small battlefield, flicking enemies away with barely a twitch of Masamune. He gave the Turk a pointed look, or what he hoped was one, he hadn't quite got a hold of facial expressions yet. Genesis had been helping. _

"_She's fine," Tseng assured him. The dark haired man was calmer than he had been before he'd dragged Rue out of sight and Sephiroth felt some of the tension in his shoulders ease, but a discomfort in his stomach made him worry. He wasn't sure why either of these things occurred. He wasn't injured. Maybe he'd ask Genesis and Angeal about it later._

"_She better be," was all he replied with. He heard a snort of laughter from the Turk and glanced back at him after dispatching yet another Wutain soldier that had practically thrown himself at Sephiroth. Cannon fodder, all of them._

"_She said, and I quote, 'Stay safe, I don't want to have to use all my potions and MP patching you two up', if she can joke, she's fine," Sephiroth found his lips twitching at the thought of the clumsy teenage girl he'd stumbled upon by chance. She was a strange one, that was certain._

"_I shall endeavour to comply with her request," he told the Turk before turning his attention back to the battle. He'd contend with Kisaragi's cannon fodder, and whatever else the man thought to throw at him as swiftly as possible. Maybe they'd even get lucky and he'd take the man himself out. Hm, unlikely. He decided, Kisaragi and the Wusheng had fallen back and were watching him annihilate their warriors. Nothing new there. _

"_Enough! Fall back! We will show the Demon of Wutai our true might!" he heard the Lord of Wutai call to his men. Sephiroth watched cautiously as the remaining Wutai soldiers quickly ran back to the edges of the ruin they'd been lured to. Perhaps their information about how organised Wutai was had been a little understated?_

_He was about to ask Tseng if he had any insight into what Kisaragi was talking about when he heard a high pitched shriek from behind him along with an earth shattering roar._

**!*~*~*~*~*!**

* * *

><p>Rue had just settled herself down with Tera by her side when she noticed something sticking out of the rock near her. With a slight frown on her face Rue reached out and hesitantly grabbed the item. She thought it was a stick at first, but when she looked closer Rue realised it was an arrow. Rue softly hummed the Final Fantasy Seven victory theme as she wrenched the arrow out of the rock it was wedged in. She did wonder, vaguely, how an arrow got wedged in a rock in such an out of the way place. It was only when he rock started shaking and a growl behind Rue ruffled her hair, the smell making her want to gag, that the teenage girl realised that the rock she was hiding behind wasn't, exactly, a rock. <em>Told you, you didn't want to know.<em>

Turning around Rue found herself staring into a beady, but quite large, yellow eye. It was glaring at her. Another growl, more bad breath, thank god it wasn't a Malboro, and Rue found herself unable to hold in her scream as the huge monster rose up to tower over her. A roar that sent her tumbling to the ground, also had her skittering backwards as quickly as she could; it worried her it looked like one of those monsters Zack had fought, or would fight, at the Fort Tamblin mission. Weren't these things supposed to be anti-SOLDIER monster-weapon-things? _What the hell is this soldier thing you keep bringing up?_

Tera skidded into position in front of Rue, hissing and growling in warning, not that the monster before them paid the Coeurl any attention. It was far more interested in the teenage girl behind the hissing ball of fury.

"What are you doing! Get out of there!" the shout from Tseng brought Rue out of the panic induced mind-blank she'd been trapped in. Heart in her throat Rue scrambled to her feet, backing away from the towering creature while Tera followed still hissing away uselessly at the thing. Part of her wanted to use the arrow she'd pulled out of it, the other, far more rational part of Rue, knew she had never used a bow before and was unlikely to do any lasting damage if she even managed to hit the thing. No matter how large it was. _What are you doing? Bend!_

The monster took a step, shaking the earth beneath her feet, and raised its ridiculously large spike-covered club. Teal eyes grew large as Rue realised it was going to swing at her, the scream burst forth, unbidden like the last one, and she dove left. Tera followed and the two barely escape being turned into pancakes, the ground once again shook beneath Rue when the club hit the place she'd been standing only seconds before. Her arms hurt, so did her knees and she was breathing far too erratically. She had fallen badly, something about rolling, she thought. Yes. She should have rolled with the fall. Hm. She'd have to remember that. Next time.

"Move," she growled at her self. Again Rue scrambled up to her feet, she ran blindly as the lumbering beast behind her roared again and began following her. She could hear gun fire and somewhere in the back of her mind Rue found herself wondering what the hell the two _idiots_ she'd come here with were doing and why the monster was even still alive. They had fucking Sephiroth for goddesses sake. "I'm going to murder them," Rue huffed as she slipped on the rock beneath her feet. Every step the damned thing took shook the ground making her already uncoordinated steps even worse. _We really need to work on that. Keep moving. Don't stop moving. Breath._

She heard the sing of Masamune again, it was closer than it had been before, the creature behind her roared. It didn't go down though, it kept following her and it seemed closer than before. Don't look back, she told herself. If you look back you'll fall on your face. They always fall when they look back in the movies. Don't you dare look back.

Her feet slipped again, there was water on the rocks, she realised as the ground rose up to meet her. Rue attempted to roll into the fall, like she knew she should, but she didn't think she did it right. It hurt, her shoulder throbbed and she couldn't get her breathing under control. Turning around Rue found herself looking up at the towering monster before her, it's club raised, poised to crush her. _Bend._

She couldn't move. Couldn't think. _Bend._

There was nothing she could do. _BEND._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter just poured out of me. I'm not sure how good it actually is in hindsight, but we're almost out of the 'Prologue' portion.<br>ACT ONE: LEVIATHAN will begin in a chapter or two. Expect Shenanigans. Lots of them.  
>For now, well, I think it's fairly obvious what's going to happen next chapter. <strong>

**The Bonus Scene, well, it just came to me and I figured it would be a nice way to give insight into other characters besides Rue without constantly switching POV's and such all the time. So there will likely be more as we go along. I doubt it will be every chapter, but every once and a while one of these will pop up.  
><strong>

**You have no idea how extensive my notes for this story are and are added to with every chapter so I can keep track of everything. Even what's in Rue's bag and what she has equipped. Achievements and Skill Trees. Stats. All of it. I'm such a geek and I love it. Ha!  
><strong>

**Reviews are great, they make me smile and give me magical writing abilities. Till next time!  
><strong>

**RLK**


	6. 0-5 The First State

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>0.5<strong>

**The First State  
><strong>

* * *

><p>It was then, as the club lowered that the world around her seemed to slow to a stop. Rue blinked in confusion, what what going on? Then, unbidden, her body moved with a fluid grace she never knew she possessed. The world moved again, but so much slower than she was used to, Rue watched the club fall. She moved out of the way with ease. Tera. Where was Tera? <em>Breath. She's fine.<em>

The monster was moving again, reaching for her with it's free hand. She felt amused, but it wasn't quite _her_ amusement. Tera appeared out of nowhere and latched on to the monsters hand. She saw it roar, but it was muted in her ears somehow. Yet everything else felt sharper, her eyes saw things they wouldn't have normally seen, she even smelled more than she would have normally. And god did that thing smell to high heaven.

True, she could hear it all as well, but it was almost as if everything she were perceiving was completely second hand. Like she were watching someone else parade around in her skin. Maybe she was. _I guess, when you put it like that._

Rue watched herself spin, with a grace and ease she was doubtful she could pull off herself, and then to her complete shock, all the water around her, the water in the puddles on the rocky ground beneath her feet, rose up to form one long stream of water. Her arms directed it, their movements flowing along with the water. _Water flows. _

The water flowed around her a few times before she pushed outward and up, the water followed her movement almost instantaneously; surging forward to encase the monster in a pillar of solid ice that had formed with a twitch of her hand. _Water triiiibe. _

* * *

><p>Rue wobbled as she came back to herself, the world came back into focus all at once and suddenly she felt sick. The fear was back, gone was the inner calm from a moment ago. Gone was the confidence and gone was her ability to stand if her knees suddenly giving out were any indication. She couldn't catch her breath. What was that, that feeling of someone else moving her body? Had she really just taken out that monster?<p>

Looking up, yes, that is exactly what she had done. The ice was solid, the monster wasn't moving, and she was fine. Rue very much wanted to throw up and, really, who ever actually _wanted_ to throw up? Well she did. Now. She also wanted to wake up. In her own bed. In her own room. Where everything was normal and fictional characters weren't crouching down in front of her asking if she was okay. Oh. No wait. That bit was happening. _Better pay attention now._

"-ight? Hey!" Rue blinked as Tseng's face appeared in front of her. She frowned at him a bit, trying to catch up to what was happening, they were all moving far to fast now.

"I'm okay," she mumbled sluggishly. Sleeping sounded wonderful right now. It was unfortunate that Sephiroth decided to grab her arm and pull her to her feet before she could pass out.

"If that's the case then we need to go, you can tell me where you got the Ice Materia later," he said as he dragged Rue away from the ice pillar.

They were almost to the tree line when a group of Wuitain warriors practically dropped out of the sky in front of them. Sephiroth still held Masamune in his left hand and held it before him, ready to strike if need be. _Our Hero._

"Move aside, you've failed in your attempt, we'll withdraw peacefully as agreed despite the fact that we were attacked during what was supposed to be peace talks," Tseng attempted to reason with the men.

"You will leave in peace, when you leave the girl," it was Godo, not the warriors that spoke. Rue looked around, getting her first good look at the Leader of Wutai as he walked towards them since they'd arrive through bleary, tired eyes. He was younger than she thought he would be. _Crap. Might be time to leave._

"No," was the only reply Sephiroth bothered with. His grip on Rue's arm did not lessen as he took determined a step forward towards the warriors and the forest. The warriors didn't seem to appreciate the threatening move, their stances tightened and weapons slid into position, ready to attack.

"Why do you want her?" Rue heard Tseng ask. There was no emotion in his voice, but he sounded a little tired to her. Everyone was so different to what she expected them to be. Or, the two people she'd met so far were at least.

"She's one of ours, must have gotten lost in the forest," Rue frowned at Godo's words. She didn't understand why he was suddenly so interested in her any more than Tseng did. It didn't make sense even in her jumbled up and rather woozy head.

"You're lying. You're not taking her, I told her I'd get her home," she didn't quite remember Sephiroth telling her he'd get her home. He'd said he'd take her back to the base, hadn't he?

Godo's humourless chuckle caught Rue's attention, he was looking at her like she was a trophy he'd stumbled across and couldn't wait to get his hands on. Or, how Yuffie looked when she found some awesome Materia. Either one. _And I thought Amon's laugh was creepy._

"Oh, if that girl is who I think she is, then I seriously doubt you'll be able to 'get her home', boy," Rue was beginning to think Godo knew something she didn't. She also knew he was determined to win the war with ShinRa and she really did not want to be someone's pawn in a game of chess. _Did you forget? Or is this denial you're going through?_

"Sore about losing your new pet to a civilian, Kisaragi?" Sephiroth turned and placed himself between Rue and Godo. It seemed he thought the leader more of a threat to her, and that was likely his mistake. The moment Sephiroth focused on the Wutian leader the two warriors now positioned behind Rue released a smoke bomb.

The smoke made Rue's eyes water and throat burn as she coughed helplessly, she could no longer see Sephiroth, who was right in front of her, or Tseng. She could feel the SOLDIER's grip on her arm, but when he'd turned to face Godo it had loosened.

"We need to get out of here," Rue heard Tseng say. Sephiroth seemed to make a noise of agreement and she felt him move forward, attempting to tug her to him so they could leave, however something wrapped around Rue's waist and ripped her sharply from Sephiroth's grip.

She was still coughing when they dragged her from the smoke cloud, the Wutian soldiers had nabbed her in the confusion caused by the smoke it seemed. Rue had hoped it had been Tseng getting her out of the way, but it seemed her luck had once again, failed her. Godo looked down at her coolly, as though she were a bug for him to squash beneath his boot. Or sandal, in his case. He nodded to his men and one of them tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and walk away; Rue heard herself shout for help and call for Sephiroth.

The last thing she saw of that flash of silver before finally succumbing to her bodies apparent exhaustion was Sephiroth bursting from the cloud of black smoke and cutting down a few Wutain's with Masamune before her vision went dark.

* * *

><p>Teal eyes snapped open as she felt herself be tossed carelessly onto a carpeted floor. Her body ached in places Rue wasn't even aware she could ache, not to mention the killer headache she was sporting. Looking around her Rue felt her stomach drop a bit in fear, it looked like an Asian-styled throne room and sitting on the Dais was Godo Kisaragi. The same cool look from before was on his face as he looked at her. He almost looked, disappointed? Though she wasn't sure why. Maybe because she beat his monster? <em>I don't think that's the issue here.<em>

"Who are you?" one of the Wusheng asked her. The question was a simple one, but the tone used was sharp and hard like a blade. Rue took a deep breath and carefully struggled to her feet while trying to keep her frayed nerves under tight control. She could break down later, now she had to deal with these people and their hostile questioning. _Breath._

"My name is Rue, I am sixteen years old and I'm originally from Modeoheim, but I have no idea how I got to be in Wutai and don't remember where I was prior to waking up in the forest," Rue explained. Her voice wavered, showing her fear and exhaustion, and she cursed it. Showing weakness now wouldn't help her. Or, maybe it would? Gah, who cares.

"Hm, a half truth at best, I think," Rue wasn't sure which of the five before her answered. All she knew, was that the words were cold and unimpressed.

"Particularly if the girl's display on the battlefield is taken into account ," it was obviously a side comment and not directed at her. Still, Rue found herself frowning. Her display? Did they mean the ice pillar? But she didn't know how she did that. It just, well, happened. _You need to stop ignoring the truth. You know what's going on. It's okay to stop hiding. It's time to face yourself._

"Are you lying to me girl?" that had been Godo. Rue shifted uncomfortably under his piercing stare. The man might as well have had x-ray vision the way he was staring at her.

"Maybe," she frowned at him. She didn't want to have to explain that she'd been born in a place they'd never heard of. She didn't want to explain about the weird ass screens that kept exploding in her face and scaring the crap out of her. She also didn't want to have to explain that she wasn't actually sure what was going on. She hated that. Not knowing. It drove her nuts at the best of times. _You do know, you just don't want to acknowledge it._

"Shall we try again, then?" the Lord of Wutai prompted her. Rue's shoulders sagged as she sighed, this conversation was going to suck. She just fucking knew it.

"My name is Rue, I am twenty five years old, I was born in Tasmania and I have no idea how I came to be here," Rue stated as she stood a little straighter. She might be cracking inside, but she wouldn't let them see it. She still had some pride, tired as she was. _Careful._

"Twenty five, you say? You certainly don't look it," one of Godo's bushy-ass eyebrows raised as he eyed her appraisingly.

"No shit, _someone_ thought it would be funny to send me back to hormone city," Rue's eyes rolled as she folded her arms and cocked a hip. Inwardly, however, Rue was cringing at her incessant need to be a smart-ass in the worst moments possible. She had no doubts that her mouth would get her killed one of these days.

Godo then took a moment to do what she least expected, he laughed, admittedly the sound sent an unwelcome shiver down Rue's spine, but at least she'd managed to lighten the mood in the man's throne room somewhat. It took a moment or two for the man to calm down, but when he did his eyes turned back to Rue and she very nearly ran from the room screaming at the storm brewing in them. Oh yes. This was very much going to suck. _Duck and cover!_

"Well then, let me ask you one thing," Godo stood and took a step down the dais he'd been sitting on, "Avatar Rue," he took another step.

"Ava…tar…?" Rue's mind went blank. What was he talking about? She wasn't- Oh. It hit her then, the class she'd been given little choice in back at the 'loading screen'. The Avatar 'class'. Godo walked up to her, his face hard like stone as he looked down on her diminutive form.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" he demanded quietly. To Rue, though, he might as well have shouted. The accusation in his tone hit her like a physical blow, as did the sudden awareness of the only question that had really been bouncing around in the back of her head. WHY ME? Now she knew and she wished she didn't.

"I-I-" Rue shook her head, unable to formulate words, let alone think. She tried to step back, away from the furious lord as the dam deep within her broke and tears began to silently fall. Godo wouldn't allow it.

"You aren't going anywhere, _Avatar_," the way he spoke the word was ugly and sounded wrong. Like it were an insult instead of the revered title of ages past. Godo seized her arm and dragged her from the room, but he didn't speak another word to her. It was probably for the best, as all Rue was capable of focusing on was how he had said the word Avatar with such spite and venom. She couldn't understand how everything had ended up this way, what had she ever done to anyone? Or, maybe that was the point. She _hadn't_ done anything. _Might be best not to focus on that bit._

Rue was pulled from this train of thought when Godo opened a screen door and all but threw her in the room beyond. "You will remain here, _Avatar_, until I can figure out what to do with you," were the only words she was spared before the door slammed shut. She could hear him giving orders to have the room guarded day and night and that she was not to leave, nor was she allowed any visitors bar himself. Yes, Rue heard all this, but it did not make it past the raging torrent of her thoughts.

All she could focus on now, was that she was the Avatar.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:Okay, there weren't any screens at all in this one. I figure, whoever is in charge of them went to make coffee or something and forgot to press pause. Rue is likely going to get inundated with screens in the next chapter, because of this.<br>I didn't forget Tera, btw, she just likes making a scene-I mean an entrance, she likes making an entrance. **

**This chapter marks the end of the 'Prologue' arc as Rue has now been identified as the Avatar. **

**Now begins Arc One and the new Avatar's Water Bending training. Also Yuffie Shenanigans.  
>Oh and for the guest that commented on the possiblilty of my notes getting lost one way or another. I backup my stuff fairly regularly these days. I've lost too many stories and drawings to computer failure lol. It's one of the reasons 'The One Good Thing' hasn't been updated in a while(years). I moved and lost the physical notes I had for it. I have been working on the next chapter for that, it's just slow going at the moment.<br>**

**Remember to review, guys! Writer powers get boosted by them!  
>Till next time~!<br>**

**RLK**


	7. 1-0 Screen Writers Are People Too

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>BOOK ONE<br>LEVIATHAN**

* * *

><p><strong>1.0<br>**

**Screen Writers Are People Too  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Opening her eyes Rue found herself looking up at an unfamiliar white ceiling. It took a few moment of frowning up at it that she remembered where she was and what had happened to her. She closed her eyes again, wanting to go back to sleep and ignore the world for a while longer.<p>

She had crumbled after Godo had left her on her own, crying silently for hours before she'd had the strength of body or mind to drag herself to the futon that had been set up in the corner for her to sleep on. After that Rue assumed she'd passed out, her body still ached though and the longer she stayed in the land of wakefulness the harder it would be to go back to sleep. She knew that from experience. Upon opening her eyes again Rue found herself staring at colourful words dancing before her once again;

* * *

><p><strong>CONGRATULATIONS!<strong>

**ACHIEVEMENTS UNLOCKED!**

***First Blood***

_**Killed an enemy during the Prologue**_

**…**

***The Avatar Returns***

_**Learnt the Avatar State Limit Break**_

* * *

><p>Rue sighed as the words faded away, it seemed she'd just added two more achievements to her list. That made four. None so far had given her any 'material rewards', whatever that meant. Sitting up was a struggle, her body didn't seem to appreciate her moving, but lying down had lost it's appeal.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Attention!<strong>

**Sorry, my…friend…fell asleep at her desk last night, she's getting a lecture from our boss right now.**

**Well hey! You've saved up a fair few of these, so bare with me kid!**

**First thing's first.**

**…**

**Skill Unlocked**

**…**

**Limit Break - Avatar State**

**Limit Breaks are different from normal skills in that they can only be performed at certain times, such as life threatening situations. Like the Anti-SOLDIER monster you wasted last night. Nice, by the way. Even for a newbie. **

**We should point out that the Avatar State isn't exactly like other Limit Breaks being that it's a self-defence mechanism built into your psyche, to protect yourself and Raava. Or something like that I guess.**

**Try not to die while it's activated. You know why.**

* * *

><p>Rue frowned deeply at the screen. The person who had been throwing screens at her all afternoon had fallen asleep? That's why she hadn't had screens popping up at her during the meeting or fight. Well, that was probably a good thing in hindsight. Rue would have, in no way, been able to handle that shit happening. '<em>Okay'<em>, she thought, '_I have a Limit Break now so that's kinda cool,'_ she was avoiding thinking about the Avatar thing. That would be dealt with after she'd woken up a little more. Taking a deep breath Rue dismissed the skill information screen and prepared herself for more. She wasn't disappointed.

* * *

><p><strong>CONGRATULATIONS!<strong>

**ACHIEVEMENTS UNLOCKED!**

*******Lord of the Western Lands*******

_**Met Godo Kisaragi, and didn't THAT go well?**_

**Reward:**

_***Spear Weapon Set* Unlocked**_

**…**

*******I'm the What Now?*******

_**Made it through the Prologue!**_

* * *

><p>It was only after the Achievement notice vanished from sight that Rue registered that she'd unlocked a new weapon set. Spears. Cool. Not that she knew how to use one of those any more than she knew how to use the bow that was leaning against the wall next to her bag. Rue blinked at that. Her things were in here? When had that happened?<p>

Unthinking the teen went to scramble forward to make sure her things were still in her bag, but her body, it seemed, had other ideas. Letting loose an uncomfortable groan Rue settled back on the futon as her muscles screamed at her to stay put. She wasn't moving for a little while, not without help anyway.

* * *

><p><strong>CONGRATULATIONS!<strong>

**Story Quest Completed!**

**…**

***Escape the Forest***

**…**

**You have completed your first Story Quest. Well done!**

**Here are your spoils:**

**200 EXP **

**100 AP**

**550 Gil**

**+20 Arrows**

* * *

><p>Rue blinked as a bundle of arrows plopped down into her lap, complete with quiver to hold them. She was relieved to have a new 'screen writer' or whatever the term was, had it been the other one, well, she wouldn't have been able to dodge that one. Strangely enough she heard the tinkle of coins coming from her bag and she figured the Gil she made would be deposited automatically into the purse she'd received the day before. She set the quiver aside and dismissed the screen. What else did they have for her today?<p>

* * *

><p><strong>CONGRATULATIONS!<strong>

**You've defeated your first Boss!**

**…**

**Anti-SOLDIER Prototype 0.0**

**…**

**Here are your spoils:**

**300 EXP**

**156 AP**

**500 Gil **

**Potion**

**+10 Arrows**

* * *

><p>A small bottle of blue Potion dropped into her lap, along with another small pile of arrows. She dismissed the screen, almost waiting for a level up screen, she had to be at a new level by now. Hadn't she? Wait. What level was she anyway? She needed a mirror, or something reflective at the very least so she could 'scan' herself and access her player screen. Or something to that effect.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Tutorial<strong>

**Experience and Raising your Level**

**…**

**You have accumulated a fair amount of EXP and are probably wondering if you are actually close to levelling up, right? **

**Well your EXP value is this: **

**600/650 EXP**

**Once you've accumulated the required amount of points your Level will increase and you will begin the process again. **

**Upon levelling up, you will be given the opportunity to increase your stats. It is suggested that you keep your own personal strengths in mind while doing this as focusing on one stat, such as strength, can unbalance a person and cause problems later on.**

**Your Current Level is: Lvl 05**

**…**

**Oh yeah**

**…**

**Please note. **

**Some Quests have a level requirement that you must reach before taking them on. **

**B didn't mention that before in her Quest Tut yesterday. **

**Thought you should know.**

* * *

><p>Fifty measly points. That was it? That was all she needed to level up? Rue swore a little under her breath and dismissed the tutorial, irritated that she was short by only fifty points. She wanted to check her quest journal to see how many tutorials she had left to finish that other quest. She vaguely remembered something about a EXP bonus and a 'sponsored item' or something in the rewards for that quest. Again Rue found herself wondering who the hell would sponsor this absurdity.<p>

Apparently the current bane of her existence was named 'B' or rather that's probably what their name started with. She'd have to remember that. Now she could curse the woman properly at least.

With a huff Rue looked around her for something reflective, unfortunately she quickly found there wasn't any windows or a mirror in sight anywhere in the room. Hanging her head the teen found herself fiddling with the items in her lap, the arrows were useless in her condition and the tips nowhere near shiny enough; but the bottle…

"Ah ha!" she announced victoriously. Looking closely at the bottle Rue found her, somewhat distorted, reflection. Recalling her scan tutorial she focused on the reflection of her eye. Nothing happened at first and Rue worried she wasn't doing it right, but she needn't have worried as a screen popped up between her and the bottle in her hand showing a photo of her as a teen wearing her Water Tribe gear. Gods, did she always look so serious and sullen? She really had been a grumpy brat as a teen, hadn't she. Rue let her eyes wander over her stats and sighed, they weren't great. "Of all the luck,"

* * *

><p><strong>Player Name:<strong> _**Rue Keeper**_

**Level: **_05_

**Class: **_**Avatar**_

**Weapon Class: **_**Long Bow**_

**…**

_**PLAYER STATS**_

**Strength: **7

**Dexterity: **10

**Vitality: **8

**Magic: **9

**Intelligence: **12

**Luck: **4

**Next Level: **_600/650_ _**EXP**_

**…**

**Current Skills: **

_**Basic Water Bending lvl 1**_

_**Scan lvl 1**_

_**Dodge lvl 1**_

_**Avatar State Limit Break lvl 1**_

**…**

**Player Perks: **

**Stubborn Will - **_**An extra two points to upgrade your stats each level.**_

**Animal Guide -** _**This perk is native to the Avatar Class. You are joined on your journey by a faithful animal companion.**_

**…**

**Reputation**

_**Negative/Neutral **_

**The Avatar has been ejected from Gaia upon failing repeatedly to keep balance in the world. The few that know it even existed aren't all that impressed to be honest.**

**…**

**Title**

_**Bridge-Between-Fails**_

**The Lord of Wutai has decreed you a failure of an Avatar before you've even begun. Says loads about how he feels about you, doesn't it.**

**…**

**Morality**

_**Neutral-Chaotic**_

**You're a fence sitter, who likes to fuck with people for kicks**

* * *

><p>Honestly with that amount of luck she was surprised she'd managed to survive that encounter with the huge ass monster that had chased her about at all. With an aggravated grumbled Rue flopped back onto the futon beneath her. After a moment the screen tilted down to hover over her face. Rue glared at it, "thank you," she said sarcasm dripping, "I really, really wanted to keep looking at my shitty-ass stats," Rue pouted as she glared at the luck stat in particular. She'd always had crap luck and this was just rubbing it it. If looks could kill, and numbers were living entities, the abysmal number four would have dropped dead. Or grown into a larger number. She'd have preferred that. Instead, she got a tutorial.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Tutorial<strong>

**Player Stats**

**…**

**Well done finding a way to open the Player Stat Screen with your limited resources. If I had the clearance I would totally give you those last EXP you need to level up, but I don't. I won't even ask B to do it, she'd probably deduct some just to spite us both.**

**Anyway, lets get the tutorial over with yeah? Prolly sick of them, I know I would be.**

**…**

**Your Stats are one of the most vital parts of your experience here on Gaia. **

**They determine how strong your attacks are, how accurate you hit, your speed, how much physical damage your body can handle.**

**As well as how easily you solve the puzzles that are presented to you, your magical ability and, as I'm certain you've noticed, your luck. **

**Or, as it seems in your case, lack thereof.**

**Certain Social Interactions have a prerequisite for a certain Stat as well, so watch out for those. **

**…**

**You can check your stats and on the Player Stat Screen anytime you want, you already know how to get there so I won't repeat B. I'd keep an eye on your Rep and Title though, they can tell you a lot with just those few words. The ones showed on the main screen you're looking at now are the ones that represent the way you're seen as Society as a whole. **

**If you want to see the personal ones you have to ask while on the main screen.**

**Welp, I think that's it for this one.**

* * *

><p>What do you know, an actually <em>useful<em> tutorial. Rue was starting to feel spoiled with the amount of information she'd just gotten out of the new writer. She was tempted to have a look at the personal 'Reputation' thing the new writer mentioned, sounded interesting. She dismissed the tutorial and looked over the information before her again.

Her intelligence, dexterity and magic were her higher stats, meaning she'd picked the right weapon at the very least. It made sense, if she thought about it. Maybe. Rue knew she wasn't a genius by any means, but she was good at puzzles and had a reasonable amount of common sense, even if her mouth got away from her sometimes. Dexterity was a bit of a surprise, she wasn't fast or graceful, but slow and clumsy. Or-No, that wasn't quite right. Rue was a short distance sprinter in her younger years, but she never lasted long due to a severe lack of stamina, hence her exhaustion after running away from the monster the night before and her aching body. Injuries aside, the teen's legs were killing her every time she moved them. She did have good hand-eye coordination, though, well, it was alright. Her high magic, well, that was a little confusing. Maybe her high creativity had something to do with that? She was always drawing or writing something or other. With a sigh Rue looked back at the Reputation section.

"Bridge-Between-Fails, huh," Rue pursed her lips as she considered it. "Yeah, sounds about right," she snorted. Godo really didn't like her, or rather, what she represented. "Personal Reputation," she requested after a moment of mulling over what she really _didn't_ want to mull over. She watched the screen change with mild interest, knowing that allowing herself to fall into a stat of apathy was dangerous, but unable to help it currently.

* * *

><p><strong>Personal Reputation<strong>

**…**

**You are currently acquaintances with_3_people.**

**…**

**Sephiroth Reputation**

_**Positive **_

**Your Awkward Conversations have made Sephiroth feel more comfortable talking to you and made a wonderful first impression. **

**It would appear your capture has been weighing on his mind.**

**…**

**Tseng Reputation**

_**Neutral/Positive**_

**While he is still rather suspicious of you Tseng is a Turk and that's kind of his job. **

**You did help steady his nerves in the battle so he's much more likely to like you now.**

**…**

**Godo Reputation**

_**Negative**_

**Godo knows who and what you are and he isn't impressed in the least. **

**In Godo's eyes the Avatar has a lot to answer for and he will use you to the best of his capabilities in order to win his war with ShinRa.**

* * *

><p>Rue's lips quirked up as she read the few lines for each individual, really, she couldn't hep it. This entire thing was absurd in the best and worst ways. Sure she was currently residing within the world of one of her favourite games, but she was what equated to being a 'main character' and she knew, very, very well what that entailed. She was a writer after all, one who had put a character or two through the ringer once or twice. If she'd been writing this thing, well, she'd be bloody screwed. Sadistic writer that she knew she secretly was. She'd deal with that crap with Godo later, after she'd figured out her own crap.<br>"Main screen," Rue tried hopefully and was rewarded by once again getting an eyeful of her crappy stats. With a disgusted sigh Rue dismissed the screen, she didn't want to look at it. So much for her apathy. Rue would have to remember that looking at the 'Personal Reputation' screen made her laugh on the inside at the very least.

Satisfied for the moment and in dire need of more rest, Rue closed her eyes and allowed the world to slip away once more. Distantly wondering if things would work out alright for her in the end, or if she was just going to end up like the rest of the main characters in this , she was already socially inept so she could check that criteria. Now all she needed was; emotionally scarred, dead, or insane. Maybe all three?

* * *

><p><em>Are you there?<em>

Yes, I'm here.

_Oh, you can here us now? That's a switch._

What?

_You were ignoring us pretty hard there, couldn't even get a smarmy comment in._

Who are you?

_You don't know?_

Would I ask if I did?

_Probably. You can be a real brat sometimes. _

But that's just me. I can hardly help it. Besides, ask enough times and eventually you get the real answer people try to hide.

_Aren't you the one who's hiding now, though?_

I'm not.

_You're not?_

No.

_Are you sure?_

I'm fine.

_You can't even think about it without distancing yourself emotionally from it._

Maybe that's how I cope.

_It's dangerous. If we hadn't stepped in when we did you would have found yourself back at the Game Over screen._

…Shut up

_Rue._

I know, I get it. I'll try, I just, I'm scared. You know?

_It's alright, you aren't alone. We're all here with you, you just have to listen._

Right. Thanks guys.

* * *

><p>It was remarkable how much lighter Rue felt upon waking from her unplanned nap. Though she wasn't certain it counted considering she hadn't technically slept exactly. There were so many of them, all watching over her and her blunders. Suddenly Rue did not feel so light, but an immense pressure of all the responsibility she'd just inherited.<p>

_Don't think of it like that. This is just another piece of the puzzle that makes up 'Rue'. _The voice resounding in her own head was a little off putting, but the soothing quality of it made up for that.

"If you say so Aang," Rue grumbled as she struggled to sit up. She probably would have said more to the older Avatar had the door not opened unexpectedly and a young woman carrying a tray not entered her room.

"Oh, you're awake," the woman looked to been in her twenties and seemed surprised. Rue blinked and tilted her head at the newcomer, the woman's long dark hair and eyes marking her Wutainese heritage.

"Was I not supposed to be?" she asked curiously.

"Oh no, it's just that it's quite early still, some of the others aren't yet," the woman shrugged as she walked over. She set the tray next to Rue with a smile and began backing away, her task done, Rue supposed.

"Oh!" Rue had a thought. The woman turned back to her, "could you bring me my bag please, I need to treat my injuries," Rue asked politely. The woman looked from Rue to her bag near the door and back again with a frown.

"You can't get it?" she asked with a frown. Rue shook her head with a grim smile.

"'Fraid not, I hurt my legs a bit last night and it's caught up with me," the smile turned into a grimace as she shifted her legs under the blanket. Dark eyes widened slightly and the woman nodded, fetching the bag on the other side of the room without another word. "Thanks," Rue held out her hand to shake the woman's own, "I'm Rue, what's your name?" all she was given was her bag.

"I'm sorry, we aren't supposed to talk to you," the woman replied quietly before retreating swiftly to the door without looking back. Rue was a little surprised, Godo had told people not to speak to her? Well that was boring. Or, she considered, an interesting game. Make the People of Wutai Talk to You. Yeah, she could play that. She was so very good at irritating people after all.

* * *

><p><strong>Optional Quest Discovered!<strong>

***Make the People of Wutai Talk to You***

**…**

**Godo has ordered his subjects to avoid talking to you should they come into contact with you. **

**Your task is to engage them as much as possible and get the order rescinded.**

**…**

**People Engaged in Conversation: 1**

**People Irritated into Engaging in Conversation: 0**

**People Charmed into Engaging in Conversation: 0**

**Friends Made: 0**

**…**

**This quest is, more or less, repeatable. The circumstances will likely differ each time the Quest is undertaken so keep that in mind.**

**…**

**Nice find! Sounds like fun! Good luck with it!**

* * *

><p>Rue couldn't help it, seeing the quest screen in front of her nose all she could do was laugh her ass off. Maybe things were looking up, this quest actually looked fun and it gave her a chance to figure out when in the time line she was. It was obviously during the Wutai War, but where in the War would be helpful. Information gathering, bothering people and keeping herself busy. Yes, sounded wonderful.<p>

Now all she had to do was heal herself. _Baby steps Rue. Baby steps._

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Damn! Two Chapters within 12 hours of each other! I was on a role tonight and the words just wouldn't stop. It's almost 1am however and I have an appointment tomorrow. So I'll be heading off to bed after posting this.<br>_**

**_This is our longest chapter so far being over 3k words. It's all the screens, they wanted to chat. They did give me a brainwave for an extra layer of story to add to what I already have planned. Which was cool. The Screen Writers have names, there are three so far, and I love 'B' she's so sassy and angry. _**

**_Shenanigans are coming with the arrival of that last Quest. They will include Rue being highly irritating and stupid. _**

**_Remember, Reviews make me write-well no, that's not entirely true. They make me write when I don't have a lot of naturally formed motivation. _**

**_Later~RLK_**


	8. 1-1 Comments from Invisible Companions

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>BOOK ONE<br>LEVIATHAN**

* * *

><p><strong>1.1<br>**

**Comments from Invisible Companions**

* * *

><p>Rue looked down at the green ball of mystery in her hand. She quite honestly had no ideas on how to use the damned thing. Until now it had been 'press this button to use Materia' or 'select Materia on the battle menu and press X'. Now, however, it was very literally in <em>her<em> hand and far more complicated than just picking for a list she suspected.

_Why don't you just water heal yourself?_ The question made Rue want to face-palm.

"Because, I don't know, I don't actually _know_ how to water bend?" her sarcastic reply was verbal as Rue figured that it would just be confusing and distracting to have an entire conversation only in her head. She needed to invest in a phone, at least then she'd be able to pretend that she wasn't, in fact, talking to herself. Because she really, really was and it was bloody weird if she was honest with herself. "Also, do you see any water?" she added as an afterthought. She'd gulped down the water she was allowed as part of her meal. Rice, egg and a bit of meat, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what kind, and some water in a wooden cup.

_Oh, right. So, what is that thing anyway?_ Rue could almost see a tanned arm reaching around her to poke at the Restore. With a sigh raised the Materia to glare at the thing and maybe see something she hadn't earlier. Nope. Still a mystery. With a sigh Rue flopped back onto her futon, the green ball held loosely in her hand as she stared frustrated at the unfamiliar ceiling above her.

"It's complicated," was the only response the long dead Avatar currently haunting her was granted. "Shouldn't you be hanging out in the Spirit World or Lifestream or something?" she asked after a moment. Yeah, past Avatars didn't just, hang around, like they were with her. At least that's not what it seemed like in the show. Yup, still weird.

_It's complicated,_ her answer was mirrored back to her much to Rue's annoyance. She huffed to herself and pushed her mind to other things, she could dwell later, when her body wasn't aching everywhere.

* * *

><p><strong>Alert!<strong>

**Uh, thought you should know that B is returning to screen duty now.**

**Good luck. **

**S**

* * *

><p>Rue stared at the, appreciated, but very disheartening warning screen from 'S'. Great, whenever she actually got her Materia Tutorial it was going to be vague, unhelpful and rather insulting. Fantastic. Her 'battle' tutorial would likely be the same. Even better. Sighing Rue dismissed the small and unobtrusive screen to wait for 'B' to give her the next tutorial.<p>

"Needing Materia guidance people," she commented flatly. Her arms flailed slightly at her side in her restlessness. Rue would much rather be doing something at least amusing, like bothering the people, like bothering the two guards she knew were stationed outside her room. "Come on, I don't want to waste a potion and I need to learn to use this shit," she pleaded know that if 'B' was now in charge the woman would likely get a kick out of tormenting her. She wasn't wrong.

* * *

><p><strong>Attention!<strong>

**Tutorial**

**Materia**

**…**

**Psh, well now, look at what you went and did while I was busy. Get a little banged up shorty? **

**Awww.**

**Oh well, better suck it up, there'll be more where that came from. **

**Is what I'd like to say.**

**Cap'n is glaring at me though so we'll play nice just this once.**

**…**

**Materia is fairly simple to use, just focus your mind on the selected piece and find the unlocked spells within. **

**In fact, it is actually kinda like using a menu and choosing the spell, just shock the spell into action with a 'brain wave' or something apparently. **

**So stop over-complicating things idiot. **

**Focus on the stars and you'll manage, just use that imagination you're so damned proud of.**

**You should note that extended use of Materia without rest can be dangerous so try to be careful, you're already a runt, don't need to make it worse kid.**

**…**

**Materia is leveled up via AP or Action Points, AP can be obtained through a number of ways. **

**Such as battling monsters and completing quests. **

**Some weapons effect how much AP your equipped Materia gains, from Double and Triple to Nothing. **

**These weapons are rare however and generally have fewer open slots available, or in the cases of the few weapons that have no Materia growth, many slots available.**

**I am fairly certain you already know how all this shit works though.**

**…**

**There are 5 types of Materia.**

**Green: Magic**

**Yellow: Command**

**Blue: Support**

**Purple: Independent**

**Red: Summon**

**…**

**Now get your ass out of bed and do something interesting brat. **

**Or, so help me, I will throw more random shit at you than you know what to do with until you do.**

**Now move.**

* * *

><p>Rue tried not to laugh at the amount of information 'B' had given her this time. It seemed that her 'Cap'n' or 'Captain' was watching the grumpy woman more closely for the moment. Sure the insults had been there, but Rue was quickly learning to overlook them for the information around them. She took the threat seriously, however, 'B' would undoubtedly throw things at her through the screens. Things that she doubted would ever actually be useful to her. Rue was still trying to figure out how it all worked, probably something about dimensions and other science-y sounding crap.<p>

Sitting up slowly Rue took stock of her mental information she had on Materia, finding herself rather surprised at what she actually remembered. Different names, types and locations jumped out of her memory with very little prompting. Humming to herself she glanced down at the green ball in her hand. It wasn't large, but only a one star she was guessing. Which meant a 'Cure' was all she had access to for the moment. That was fine, her injuries weren't extensive after all.

"Shock it, huh? Weird," Rue held up the Restore and frowned at it. How the hell was she supposed to do that?

_Say 'boo' to it?_ Was the unhelpful comment from her mental peanut gallery.

"Yes, that will undoubtedly work, thank you so much," eyes were rolled. It likely came from both parties too.

_Because you have a better idea?_ She would have glared at the comentee had the individual in question not taken up residence in her head. Or at least that's what it seemed like to her.

"You're annoying," Rue grumped. She knew she was probably pouting, and a little childish, but she was tired and achy and she really wanted to wake up in her bed right now. She didn't _want_ to be in Wutai, she didn't _want_ to have met Sephiroth, of all people. She wanted to be ordinary again. But wasn't that always the way? The unlikely hero wanted to take it back after receiving and answering, partially at least, 'The Call'. Yeah she was certain that someone called the wrong girl for this one.

_Have to give the guy props for being hot, though, right?_ Of course her current invisible companion would latch onto her thoughts about Sephiroth. With a deep not-so-calming sigh Rue once again flopped backwards.

"I am _not_ having this conversation with you, he's the bad guy," her tone screamed exasperation. She should have known better.

_No wonder you like him then, you always fall for the bad guy,_ Rue's eyes closed as her annoyance grew. She should change the subject, or focus on her Materia. Anything but have this- _Don't worry, I think he likes you back. _Damn it.

"Oh come on! Why-Why would you _say_ that?!" Rue's free hand rose up to cover her eyes in frustration. She didn't need to here a dead Avatar's opinion on who-likes-who, particularly when she was one of the 'who'.

_Oh like you weren't checking him out while you were walking through the forest,_ She was seriously wanting to hurl something at someone. Rue was certain one of her eyes was twitching as she attempted to defend herself. Unfortunately she momentarily forgot that she was a socially awkward young woman, her fumbled answer was a stark reminder of that fact.

"I-You-He-I-I was not!" all she could hear was laughter in her own head as she flailed indignantly with her words. Giving up, Rue grabbed her pillow and buried her slightly burning face in it. Goddess, fucking, damn it. Her muffled scream of frustration just made her tormentor laugh more.

This insanely uncomfortable, and slightly humorous, conversation would have likely continued had something very large and very heavy no crashed into the floor near Rue's head. Jumping at the sound the teenager removed the pillow from her face to find a mother fucking _anvil _practically embedded into the floor near her head. Eyes wide Rue sat up and realised she had yet to dismiss her Materia tutorial and 'B' had made good on her threat. "Fucking hell 'B', that's an anvil, how did you get an anvil here!? It could have hit me!" Rue was looking from the screen to the hunk of blackened metal now sitting next to her bed.

* * *

><p><strong>Then do something you dumb brat, instead of sitting around <strong>_**talking to yourself**_**.**

** . **

* * *

><p>"So you throw an anvil at me!?" she stared at the screen that had replaced the tutorial before her incredulously.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>I was bored.<strong>

**Thought it would be funny.**

**It was.**

* * *

><p>"Who the fuck throws anvils at people?! Are you Wile E Coyote or something?!" Rue exploded as she waved her arms around dramatically as she yelled at the screen.<p>

_It was kinda funny,_ her peanut gallery snickered at her.

* * *

><p><strong>Please, if I were Wile E Coyote, I would have caught Road Runner years ago. <strong>

**Besides none of my inventions have blown up in my face.**

...**Lately….**

**Now.**

**Do.**

**Something.**

**Brat.**

**Next time, I'll throw a piano.**

* * *

><p>With that the screen vanished, dismissing itself. Rue, by this point, was somewhere between hysterically angry, highly amused and scared for her life. She was unable to stop the laughter bubbling up her throat, wasn't sure she wanted to if she was honest. The thought of a grand piano appearing out of thin air to crush her was just too funny and terrifying for her to be able to control the peals of giggling currently shaking her body.<p>

It might have also been the stress of the entire situation baring down on her that made it last so long. Humour had always been her best weapon in stressful situations in the past, now was no different. She would push all her crap to the side and do what she had to do during the day while laughing and crying herself to sleep of a night while she figured everything out. That was just what Rue did. She kept moving forward, no matter what.

When the laughter finally wore out, the teen felt a little better, not much, but better. Her embarrassment from earlier forgotten, for the moment, and mind a little clearer of her great horde of doubts. It wouldn't last, but she figured now was a good as time as any to use her Restore Materia. Finally.

Sitting up Rue took a deep breath and focused her mind on her goal. She needed 'Cure' and she was going to get it. Stubbornness was something she had ample amounts of. Staring determinedly into the small glowing ball Rue could _almost_ see a single star in it's centre, she could _almost_ tell there were others, locked ones, but concentrated on the single star she sought. Now she had to 'shock' it, with 'Brain Waves' no less. How the fuck did she do that? It didn't even make sense.

Strangely enough, when the cool wave unexpectedly washed over her and took away the aches of her body, Rue found she didn't find it comforting at all. In fact it felt weird and oddly manufactured in nature. Though she wasn't sure why. Maybe this Materia wasn't a naturally formed one?

_You're the Avatar, Water Healing all the way. It's way more natural anyway, _was the only answer she received. Though it didn't seem like her current companion knew what Materia actually was. Rue wasn't sure if she was okay with the idea of only relying on 'Water Healing', but it wasn't as if she knew how to use the skill in question anyway. She was stuck with using Materia for now, so perhaps she'd have to look into Natural verses Manufactured Materia. If she was right then she'd likely feel more comfortable with the former, as rare as it was.

Checking herself over Rue found her injuries were, without a doubt, gone. Thanking her lucky stars Rue pulled herself to her feet, blinking at the spots that appeared before her eyes and feeling herself stumble a little. Right, she was low leveled which meant low MP and HP. Shaking her head, Rue leaned against the wall until the dizzy spell passed her by. It didn't take long before Rue was rolling her shoulders and grinning at the thought of tormenting people, just a little, to make them talk to her.

"Operation Make the People of Wutai Talk to Me is a go," she muttered before walking up to the screen door. Rue was very aware that the guards on the other side had more than likely heard her 'talking to herself', she wasn't yet certain if this was good or bad. It would, however help with her plan. If they already thought she was nutty then they would probably overlook her next actions and write her off as eccentric or insane. Personally she'd prefer eccentric, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Rue took a deep breath. This was going to be fun.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't know where this chapter came from. I think I just needed some funny while Rue sorted herself out a bit internally. She needed that laughing fit, I think. <strong>

**As for 'B', well, she's...not adverse to resorting to violence considering her normal line of work. I have doubts that this will be the last time that she throws something absurd and slightly comical at Rue.**

**Next chapter will be the actual harassing of her guards and possibly Yuffie...not sure yet, we'll see how I go.**

**Reviews are loved!**

**Until next time~  
>RLK<strong>


	9. 1-2 The Two Ninja-Girls

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>BOOK ONE<br>LEVIATHAN**

* * *

><p><strong>1.2<br>**

**The Two Ninja-Girls  
><strong>

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><p>"And did you know that if you play the right song on a piano that sometimes they burp stuff out at you?" the grin on Rue's face got wider as the two guards listened to her prattle on. She'd been at this for a while now as she leaned against her door frame and was impressed that neither of them had broken yet. However, she could see the one on her left twitching from time to time, usually when she said something inherently stupid. Like burping pianos. Talking robotic cats with accents and flying monkeys had also been covered during her inane rambling. There was one thing she hadn't mentioned yet, glancing back into her room Rue almost cackled. "Oh, did I mention that an anvil almost fell on me in my room a little while ago? Well see ya!" at that Rue slid the door shut abruptly just as the two uniformed men started at her words.<p>

"Did-did she just say there was an anvil in there that almost fell on her?" one of them asked the other. They didn't expect the screen to slam back open as abruptly as it had closed the moment the words had been spoken.

"HA!" Rue cried victoriously as she pointed at the two of them. "And yes, yes I did, there is is over there," the smug teen jerked a thumb over her shoulder to where the anvil sat, in it's nest of broken tatami mats, next to her futon. The two guards turned properly to look into the room, astonished to find that the teenage girl they'd been tasked to guard did, in fact, have an anvil in her room.

"How-?" needless to say both men were flummoxed as to how she'd gotten it in there.

"I honestly have no idea, all I know is that I was laying in bed trying to figure out how to use my Restore Materia when this thing lands next to my head!" Rue exclaimed innocently. She wasn't exactly lying, Rue really did have no freaking idea how 'B' had gotten the anvil through the screen. Or anything for that matter.

"Uh-maybe we should tell someone about this?" one of the guards muttered to his partner.

"You know, I think Godo would be rather interested in seeing this," Rue interjected with a smile. "One of you should go get him," Both the guards focus came back to the teenage girl they were supposed to be guarding.

"Right...thats...right," they both seemed a little stunned. Looking at each other they nodded and Rue watched as one of them turned and hurried down the hallway, her head poking out of the doorway to see which way he went. She hadn't exactly paid much attention to where she was being taken the night before when Godo had dragged her to the room so she needed to get her bearings as soon as she could.

"So, what should we talk about?" Rue turned her attention back to her remaining guard. The man seemed to tense when he realised she was practically hanging out of the room by the door frame and talking to him. Again.

"Go back inside and close the door," he told her stiffly. Rue just allowed a carefree laugh escape her, rather than the conniving snicker rolling around her head currently.

"Why?" she asked lightly.

_You aren't really going to try that? _Her invisible companion knew her plan, she'd used it frequently on her best friends when in a mischievous mood. Sometimes it had taken them forever to realise what she was doing. They often threw pillows at her afterwards in retaliation.

"Because I'm not supposed to talk to you," was her answer.

"Why?" Her head tilted to the side.

"Because Lord Godo commanded it," he answered it flatly. Rue seemed to pout at his words.

"Why?" her tone was sulky.

_I can't believe this guy, _Rue really wanted to cackle right now.

"I'm pretty sure you know the answer to that better than I do, all we were told was that you were highly dangerous," the guard sighed and leaned back against the wall near Rue's door. She snorted at that, Godo told everyone she was dangerous, huh?

"Why?" she asked again. Her grin was fighting to get out with every utterance and Rue wondered how long it would take for him to recognise her game.

"I don't know, you don't seem all that dangerous to me," little did the guard know that there were different kinds of dangerous. Rue was, as her friends called her, an 'Ammo Ninja'. She could have a conversation with someone, mentally noting any and all weaknesses to be used against someone at a later date, sometimes days or even weeks later. Admittedly this skill was usually used for friendly teasing and irritating her friends, but it could be useful for this situation. She just had to be careful of how she gathered her information and what she used, on who and when. That would be the real test.

"Oh, why?" Rue changed her answer slightly. She'd found that adding another sound with her repeated question made others still think she was actually part of the conversation rather than just prompting for more information to pour out of them.

"Well you're just a teenager, no-one even told us your name," he sounded thoughtful now. She kind of cursed that he was wearing that damned mask, it would have been easier to read him if he weren't.

"Why?" Rue asked again. She had a feeling he was going to call her on her tactics soon, he really didn't know anything after all.

"I don't know, maybe only the-" the guard trailed off and stared at her slightly grinning face for a long moment. Rue could almost hear him blink at her stupidly as she leaned on the wall next to him after surreptitiously leaving her room during their 'conversation'. "Hey!" he exclaimed loudly. "You aren't supposed to be out of your room!" Rue's grin just grew a little and she looked down at her horrendously chewed nails. She'd forgotten how bad she'd bitten them when she was younger.

"I'm also not supposed to be talking to you, or rather you weren't supposed to talk to me, but we've been doing plenty of that," she pointed out smugly. The guard spluttered at her as she stood there like she had not a care in the world. Inwardly Rue wished she could be this damn cool all the time, but alas, she knew it wouldn't last.

"WHAT IS MY HONOURED GUEST DOING OUTSIDE HER ROOM?!" roared Godo from the other end of the hallway. Rue jumped slightly and glanced at the man as he stormed towards here, she was, admittedly, a little scared. Okay, a lot scared. She knew he was a good fighter at this point in his life, antagonising him would get her nowhere. The problem was that in the state he was in and the mood she'd put herself in, it was just so damned tempting to troll him. Ah screw it, she always preferred laughter over fear anyway. It was her thing.

"I-She-We-Uh," the guard next to Rue had jumped to attention the moment Godo had roared at them. Now he was floundering as Godo approached and Rue's heart went out to the man she'd just been borderline screwing with, just a little bit.

"I'm outside the room, your lordy-ship, because I was waiting for your royal assness to come and visit your 'honoured guest'," Rue straightened as she spoke, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She nodded her head to the open doorway, "the anvil is in there," she added with an amused smile.

Godo glared at her as he stopped before the door, Rue got the 'get in there now, girl' message loud and clear, and, with a rather dramatic sigh she sauntered back into her room, giving the guard a wave as she did. The Lord of Wutai followed her, he was probably planning on closing the door behind him and then verbally tearing her apart, of course that plan seemed to fly right out the door, she had no windows after all, upon sighting the anvil embedded in her floor next to the futon just like he'd been told.

Rue tried not to laugh as the man stared dumbly at the lump of metal across the small room, his bushy eyebrow began twitching as his face turned red. Whether it were from rage, confusion, both or something else entirely Rue wasn't sure, but it was very amusing to watch nonetheless. His grey eyes turned to her and Rue felt the fear come back, reminding her of the night before in his throne room. She took a deep breath through the nose and carefully exhaled, keeping her cool gaze on Godo all the while.

"Where did it come from?" he asked after a moment. His voice had returned to that deadly gut punching quiet that he'd used when asking her where she'd been. Rue was beginning to hate that voice, it brought guilt up that wasn't hers and it wasn't fair because it _wasn't hers_, but another Avatar's entirely. She knew that, and yet, there it was in the pit of her stomach. The mischievous confidence she'd had moments before started crumbling around her and it was all Rue could do not to visibly flinch.

"I don't know, I had a pillow over my face to muffle my frustrated screaming when it nearly fell on me," she answered with a slightly shaky voice. Godo's glare intensified and he looked back at the anvil.

"Is this another Avatar trick? You think this will get you out of here?" he asked suspiciously. Rue repressed the urge to sigh, the man was paranoid.

"Do you really think a girl who only just found out, last night, that she was the Avatar, would be capable of 'Avatar tricks'? Besides, anvils aren't part of my repertoire," Rue's arms folded defensively over her chest and she frowned at Godo. The man just glared back at her and then the anvil again, his eyebrow was twitching again. Watching as he took a deep breath and looked back at her Rue found herself raising an eyebrow curiously. "Did you decide what to do with me yet?" she asked without thinking.

"You will remain in here until further notice and," three steps were all it took for the heavy set Lord to be towering over Rue. "You will refrain from talking to my people," there was a threat in the words that Rue didn't miss. Though she saw it as more of a challenge: how many people could she talk to before Godo found out?

"Can I at least have something to amuse myself with?" it wasn't an impossible request. They both knew that, but it seemed that Godo wasn't going to allow her any room to move if he could help it. At least that's what it seemed when he turned on his heel and removed himself from her presence without answering her question.

Rue hrumphed and rolled her eyes as her tense body relaxed once the door was closed. She hadn't realised how uptight Godo had made her with very little effort on his part. She wanted to cry a little again, the man scared her, no doubts or arguments with that, but she wouldn't give in to the obvious intimidation tactics he'd used on her.

Sitting back on her futon Rue took a deep calming breath and tried to take stock of everything she'd learnt so far, which wasn't much, but what else could she do?

* * *

><p><strong>!*~*~*BONUS SCENE*~*~*!<strong>

_The Imperial Palace had been abuzz with rumours for the last few days and she'd heard everything from her father battling The Silver Demon, to him having captured a dangerous ShinRa spy. With all manner of ones in between, though the spy one was quite popular and she'd even heard that the spy was being held somewhere in the huge sprawling building she lived in. That was exciting, she could find the spy and get them to spill all their spy-y information and then her father would commend her skills and tell her how proud of her he was. _

_And so, the five year old Princess of Wutai began to hunt through her home for some sign of where the ShinRa spy was being held. From the rumours she heard around the kitchens the prisoner wasn't in the dungeons for some reason. That was good, the dungeons were dark and scary and she hated it down there. It smelled nasty. From her hiding spot under one of the large work tables in the stifling hot room, Yuffie heard one of the women complaining about having to take some food to a 'strange girl' her father was keeping in the Eastern Guest Wing and how the girl was constantly trying to engage her in conversation. From the sound of it the woman didn't really mind other than the fact that 'Lord Godo' had forbidden everyone from talking to the girl. _

_This conversation was one Yuffie had listened to intently, this 'strange girl' just had to be the ShinRa spy! Nodding to herself the small girl snuck out from under the table, trying very hard to be stealthy like her teachers had been drilling into her brain, and followed the woman holding a rather plain looking lunch on a tray out of the kitchen. Not before sneakily grabbing a small packet of onigiri on her way, of course. Hunting for a spy was hungry work after all. Even for a skilled Ninja like Yuffie. _

_Trailing the woman carefully, she could just hear the awesome theme music playing, the young Princess soon found herself poking her head around a corner to find a pair of guards allowing the maid admittance to one of the lower class guest rooms usually reserved for guest's servants. Yuffie knew for a fact that these rooms had only one entrance, having explored every inch of the huge, and rather boring, building. Getting in was going to be tricky, the guards would just stop her if she just walked up to the door. Maybe she could distract them while the door was open and sneak in? She had some smoke pellets, but they were too obvious. She needed complete stealth for this mission._

_After a few minutes of trying to figure out a way into the guarded room the door opened again and the woman exited looking a little distressed. Yuffie could hear a voice coming from beyond the open doorway, probably the spy, and pouted. She wanted to see the ShinRa spy! She wanted to crack them like an egg and then tell her father how awesome she was! He always frowned at her lately, like she wasn't good enough. She'd show him! She'd break the spy and-_

_A crash of crockery brought Yuffie's inner tirade to a halt as her grey eyes widened at the opportunity she'd just been given. The maid must have tripped or something because now there were things on the floor and the guards were asking the woman if she was okay and focused on her and-oh my gawd!-the door was still open! _

_Not thinking of the consequences the small bundle of energy that was the Princess of Wutai practically flew down the hallway as stealthily as she could towards the open door. The guards were helping the maid up as Yuffie tumbled into the room rather ungracefully and quickly pressed herself against the wall so they wouldn't see her when the guards closed the door. _

_She was breathing hard when the door slid shut, the guards murmuring to themselves about how 'cute' the maid had been, Yuffie took a deep breath and slid down the wall feeling rather proud of herself. Her infiltration tutor would be hearing all about this! _

_Turning to get her first look at the spy Yuffie found herself blinking in confusion, the only person in the room was a teenage girl who was looking rather stunned. This was not the ShinRa spy Yuffie had been expecting, after all, weren't spies supposed to be tied to chairs in a dark room so they could be interrogated? This girl was sitting in the empty room on her futon with a plate of sandwiches and a cup of water and did not look remotely dangerous to the young Princess. _

_And why was there a lump of blackened metal in the floor?_

_What in Leviathan was going on around here?!  
><em>

**!*~*~*~*~*!**

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><p>Rue had been pestering people for days now, there were three different women who brought her meals, two so far had been conversed with on multiple occasions. They were still very wary of her, but the two of them seemed to be warming up to her. Her guards had become very tight lipped, she'd worked on them a little more and had a little progress. Not much, but a little.<p>

Godo had, it seemed, deemed her unworthy of something to pass the time, and she'd heard nothing else from the grumpy Lord since the anvil incident. 'B' had complained to her through the screens a few times, but seemed to realise that the teen had no real control in this situation. It was a waiting game and Rue really hoped Godo was actually trying to figure out what to do with her. Rather than letting her stew in here until she lost her temper or her mind from boredom. Whatever came first.

Her personal peanut gallery hadn't been much help either, she'd tried asking for explanations from them, but they'd clammed up pretty quick after that. Which in itself was a little telling. Whatever had happened, it was huge, that was certain.

The woman who had brought Rue her first meal had just brought her lunch, she still didn't talk much, but she did a little and Rue was getting somewhere since the woman had even given her name at breakfast. Keiko. Rue had told her it was pretty.

Directly after the Keiko stepped out of the room and before her door was closed the teen heard a crash of her empty breakfast tray the maid had taken with her hitting the floor. Rue wondered if one of the idiots outside her room had tripped her so they could talk to her. She'd heard them muttering about it a few times and had had a field day with it once she'd caught wind of it. She was certain both of them had been blushing under their helmets when she had smugly brought it up.

Rue was about to call out to see if everything was alright when a small bundle of black, yellow and green practically dove into the room and took cover against the wall. She knew she should probably alert the guards about her unexpected visitor, but Rue couldn't quite wrap her head around what she was looking at.

There, sitting against the wall, was a teeny, tiny, Yuffie Kisaragi. Her big grey eyes were staring at Rue with as much surprise as she herself felt. Rue felt her mouth open and close a few times, completely blind-sided by this development and uncertain on what to even say to the little girl.

Dark brows furrowed on the child's face as she studied Rue, it seemed that she wasn't what Yuffie had been expecting. Though she couldn't fathom _what_ the girl had been expecting when she'd thrown herself into a guarded room.

"Are you a spy?" Yuffie Kisaragi asked her with a small frown on her itty bitty face.

What?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yeah, Godo wasn't as easily trolled as Rue thought. She needs to work on her self-confidence and her not-guilt stuff. She'll get there. <strong>

**So, now we have a five year old Yuffie in the mix. Godo is not going to be impressed with this development.  
><strong>

**We only have two main tutorials left, those being the 'Player Perks' and 'Battle Tutorial' sections and then Rue can get her EXP bonus and that 'Sponsored Item' she's been wondering about.I don't normally name NPC's, but Keiko is going to be one of the people Rue will be interacting with fairly regularly in Wutai so she needed to be named. She's not hugely important to the plot though, just a background character for Rue to talk to when she's not training or getting into Shenanigans with Yuffie. She also probably won't be seen again after this arc is over either(as far as I know).  
><strong>

**I love the 'why' game.  
><strong>

**Thanks to everyone who has faved, alerted and reviewed so far. I didn't expected this much response to this fic so I've been pleasantly surprised. **

**See you next chapter!  
>RLK<strong>


	10. 1-3 Saved by the Ninja

**::The Last Avatar**::

_Gamer Edition_

* * *

><p><strong>BOOK ONE<br>LEVIATHAN**

* * *

><p><strong>1.3<br>**

**Saved by the Ninja**

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><p>The question the small child had asked in a rather demanding tone hung in the air between them unanswered as Rue's mind tried to catch up to what had happened within just a few short moments. Rue's mouth opened again as she stared at the girl, she knew her eyes were probably slightly squinty as she tried to think of an answer that wouldn't sound like a jumble of unintelligible sounds to the child. In the end, her mouth answered for her without permission from her brain as it was wont to do.<p>

"Why in the name of all that is good would you _ever_ ask anyone that?" she responded with a question of her own. Huge grey eyes blinked at her retort and frowned minutely.

"They said you were," the little girl defended herself with a pout and crossed arms. It was adorable and Rue had to refrain from squealing like the fangirl she was. How old was Yuffie? She didn't look older than six or seven. Rue had to remember that she wasn't supposed to know who the small child before her was.

"Who said, sweety?" Rue asked her with an amused, but patient smile on her face. Yuffie crossed her legs to mimic her folded her arms as she studied the teenage girl sitting on the futon. Her face was twisted into what Rue thought was likely supposed to be a look of consternation, it wasn't any less adorable.

"Some of the servants and guards said fa-Lord Godo-caught a spy," Rue raised an eyebrow when Yuffie stopped herself from saying her 'father'. That was interesting, along with the information that everyone seemed to be of the opinion that she was a spy. "But some other people said that-Lord Godo-that he fought off That Silver Demon Man the other day," Yuffie still hesitated before mentioning Godo. Rue was surprised the child had the forethought to do so, but, she was going to be the best ninja to come from Wutai one day.

"I see, it's a little bit of both, I guess," Rue said thoughtfully. There was not a single thought about lying to the girl, she had too much respect for the warrior the girl would become by the time she was Rue's current physical age.

"So you are a spy!" Yuffie pointed a tiny finger at Rue almost comically. She had leaned forward enthusiastically on her remaining three appendage, almost scrambling at the thought of being right. Rue sighed and shook her head.

"No, I'm a civilian who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Sephiroth was there, he did fight Wutain Soldiers and I was captured during the fight. To what end I'm not entirely sure, Lord Godo has yet to decide," Rue shrugged and took a bite of her meagre lunch. Yuffie seemed to visibly wilt a little at hearing this.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yuffie fell back onto her rear in embarrassment. Rue couldn't help but laugh a little at the deflated ninja-in-training.

"It's okay, if the rumours are as bad as you say then it's more than understandable that you thought I was," her smile was warm as she tilted her head to the side to get a better look at the little girl's face as she hung her head. Yuffie looked at her through the hair hanging in front of her face, a hopeful, but small smile on her face. "I'm Rue, what's your name?" she knew the answer of course, but making friends with Yuffie was just something Rue couldn't pass up at this point.

This simple thing gifted Rue with Yuffie's enthusiastic and highly infective grin. Standing quickly, if a little clumsily, Yuffie struck a dramatic pose.

"I am the Single White Rose of Wutai! The Great Ninja Yuffie!" she announced proudly. Or as proudly as a tiny little girl barely three feet tall could be. Again, adorable.

Rue grinned at the girl's antics and gave a flourishing, and somewhat playful, salute to the little Princess, though she noted the child had not mentioned a last name. Thus, Rue would wait for Yuffie to tell her when she felt like it. Though if Godo found out they'd come in contact with each other Rue had no doubt he would be back, probably yelling at her finally.

"Well it's nice to meet you Yuffie, I have to say I've never met an actual ninja before," Rue beamed at the girl. Hearing this Yuffie scrambled forward and plonked herself down next to Rue on the futon.

"It _is_ pretty awesome," the little girl admitted with a grin. Rue glanced down at her sandwich and with a smile broke it in half and offered the child the half she hadn't bitten into yet. Yuffie stared at Rue's offering for a moment before reaching into her shirt and pulling out a bundle from a pocket and unwrapping a small pile of rice balls. The little girl then took the offered sandwich and handed Rue one of her, stolen, rice balls in return with a shy smile. Rue just laughed a little and took a bite out of the child's offering.

"I'll say, I always wanted to be a ninja," Rue admitted as they chowed down on their shared lunch. This seemed to perk the little girl up even more than the food had as she tried to grin with her mouth full of rice.

Rue was then treated to a full, detailed and highly exaggerated explanation on the training Yuffie had been put through thus far. Needless to say she was highly amused for a good few hours, though she did wonder why the guards didn't poke their heads in to find out who she was talking to.

* * *

><p>It was later in the afternoon that Yuffie's explanation wound down and the small talk began. The little Princess asked Rue about where she grew up and Rue's ability to spin a story was tested. She tried to stick as close to the truth as possible while keeping with her Modeoheim story, a tricky balance to say the least.<p>

"Um, Rue?" Yuffie eventually asked. She seemed a little uncertain, which was odd when she'd been practically bouncing a moment ago.

"Yeah?" Rue's head tilted in curiosity.

"What's that?" Yuffie pointed warily at the lump of metal that was then anvil 'B' had thrown at her a few days before. Rue looked at the anvil and back at Yuffie a few times before allowing the grin that had been threatening to take over her face to form.

"An anvil," was all the answer the little girl was given. Yuffie frowned and looked back at the anvil.

"What's it doing in here?" was the next question.

"Someone threw it at me," Yuffie's grey eyes widened at this information. The child seemed to take the location of the object into consideration now, the anvil was embedded into the floor near her new friends pillow.

"Why did they throw an anvil at you?" her little brows were furrowed at the thought. Yuffie certainly couldn't fathom why someone would throw an anvil at Rue.

"Apparently I was being boring," Rue's grin widened at the look of disbelief Yuffie gave her.

"I don't think you're boring," the little girl almost seemed offended that someone would think Rue was boring on her behalf. Rue laughed lightly and ruffled Yuffie's hair a little.

"Thank you, I don't think you're boring either," Yuffie beamed at Rue as she straightened her hair after the older girl's attack.

* * *

><p>Eventually it was decided that Yuffie would escape the room when Rue's dinner was delivered by way of smoke bomb. Rue would feign ignorance on the whole incident so long as Yuffie could avoid getting caught. Rue had figured out she could use the 'Player Screen' to keep track of time as it had, very conveniently, a digital clock placed in one of the corners. After that discovery a few days ago Rue had taken to keeping track of when her meals were delivered, simply for something to do. Which now came in handy as she could warn Yuffie when she should get into position near the doorway for her escape.<p>

Surprisingly their plan went smoothly. Or as smoothly as a plan concocted by a five year old and a teenager who's sanity was slightly more than questionable could go. The door slid open, Yuffie let her smoke bomb off and, with a grin to Rue, jumped headlong into the smoke and out into the corridor. Thankfully the guards were far more interested in the prisoner than any small children that may or may not have been entertaining said prisoner for hours right under their noses.

When the smoke cleared both the guards and Keiko were surprised to find Rue patiently sitting on her futon as though a smoke cloud had not enveloped half her small room only moments ago. When questioned Rue had shrugged, told them she was as confused about the smoke as they were and then politely asked the perplexed serving girl what she had brought for dinner today.

* * *

><p>So began an almost daily event of a smoke bomb going off around dinner time in Lord Godo's 'guest's' room. Rue suspected her guards had caught on after she'd distracted them on the third such occasion so Yuffie could sneak in unnoticed; they hadn't said anything though, so maybe they didn't know for sure and weren't inclined to deal with the repercussions if they were right. No doubt Godo would be furious that his daughter had befriended his prisoner, the prisoner he seemed intent on ignoring for as long as possible. Or so it seemed.<p>

Thus, no less than two weeks after Rue was imprisoned in her tiny room, shortly after lunch Rue found herself being amused once more by Wutai's five year old Princess as she told the teenage girl about her latest lessons in 'being a ninja' and very likely exaggerating constantly as little girls looking to impress were wont to do.

"So Sensei was all, 'get out of that rope in five minutes Yuffie,' and I was all 'no problem,' and then he tied me up real tight and, and-" Yuffie grimaced and hung her head embarrassed, "and I couldn't get out, I hate rope escape lessons, they're so boring!" Rue had to resist the urge to laugh at the frustrated look on the little girl's face. Yuffie would likely regret not paying attention to that particular set of lessons when she was older, but it wasn't the teens place to warn the little Princess of such things. It was part of Yuffie's Materia-thieving-Corneo-chasing sub-plot after all. Not to mention that if she was still around then, she could remind Yuffie of this very moment and have some laughs. After they'd gotten her down from the Buddha face. Yes. After.

"Oh well, no worries, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it eventually, Yuffie," Rue tried to encourage the little girl. As expected Yuffie's face brightened and she opened her mouth to continue with her story, unfortunately all that came out was a squeak of surprise as her grey eyes grew large. Yuffie was facing the door. Rue made a face;

"Lord Godo just came in didn't he?" she asked with a sigh. Yuffie didn't speak, just swallowed and nodded as she lowered her eyes in discomfort.

Turning Rue indeed found the almost purple faced Godo staring at the two of them in what Rue could figure as a mixture of outrage, shock and disapproval with some confusion mixed in just because. She smiled at the man and waved at him as though he hadn't kept her prisoner all this time. "Good afternoon, your Lordyship, welcome to the party, Yuffie was just telling me how her lesson went yesterday," Rue explained. She didn't miss the way Yuffie seemed to get smaller at the mention of her name or the way the Lord's eyebrows twitched ever so slightly at the same thing. _Interesting. _Maybe her blossoming friendship with the stubborn mans daughter could get her the hell out of this bloody boring as fuck room. If she was lucky. Yeah, this was never going to work.

"Girl-" Godo began, he was looking at Yuffie and was likely going to dismiss her if Rue didn't take her chances now.

"I would just like to thank you, Lord Godo, for allowing me to have some company, finally, Yuffie has been a delight and wonderfully entertaining during her visits to me when she has time in her busy schedule," Rue said warmly and louder than she might have normally. She watched the Lord blink at the interruption and turn to her with a frown on his face.

"What?" he asked her with steel in his gaze. Rue took a deep breath, she had to keep her cool and not let the damnable man bully her this time. She was a bloody adult even if she didn't look it or even act it half the time. "I didn't-"

"I hope you've decided on what you're going to do with me finally, sitting around while healing from injuries is all well and good, but I've been well enough to get out and about for some time now," Rue cut him off again. Godo didn't look pleased she wasn't letting him speak and Yuffie was staring at Rue in stunned awe, it was likely she'd never seen anyone stand up to her father.

"Perhaps I've been too accommodating Avatar, maybe you would prefer the dungeons?" he asked her icily. Rue smiled at him sweetly, ignoring the rising fear in her gut, she wasn't playing his game this time. She was playing her own, maybe. Surely she had to catch a break soon.

"Leave Rue alone!" the furious little voice demanded sharply. Both Rue and Godo jumped as Yuffie scrambled to stand in front of the teen protectively, much to Rue's surprise, the five year old had been pretty damn scared a moment ago and now she was staring Godo down like she'd been doing it for years. Huh, maybe she _could_ catch a break?

"Yuffie, that is enough, go to your room and I'll forget this insubordination," Godo told his daughter angrily. Yuffie shook her head and stood her ground stubbornly.

"No, I won't, Rue is my friend and you're being a meanie to her!" a little foot was stomped against the tatami below it. Rue watched Godo curiously, it seemed that he may had been bluffing about the dungeon the way he was eyeing his daughter now. Perhaps he'd been trying his scare tactics again to bully her into agreeing to some crazy scheme he and the Wusheng had concocted.

_Probably, sounds like something this guy would do,_ one member of her personal peanut gallery commented.

"Yuffie!" Godo attempted to grab control of the situation the same way he seemed to to everything else, with force. It did him little good as Yuffie just dug her heels in more and refused to be budged. Even going so far as to turn around and hug Rue tightly, stating through teary hiccups that the teen was her only friend and Godo would not take that from her.

Rue could only sigh and shake her head at the Lord of Wutai, she gently hugged the little girl that had attached herself around Rue's neck and soothed her to calm with little trouble. Children had never been much trouble for Rue, thankfully, and calming this one, while not easy, was easier than some other children she'd known. Herself included.

"Yuffie, Lord Godo didn't mean it, he's not putting me in the dungeon, okay?" she assured the little girl softly.

"He won't?" she asked. Her little voice was watery, but Rue could tell she was already perking up a little from the returned hug.

"Nope, he was just trying to be a bully and make me do something he didn't think I would agree to if he didn't," Rue sent a sharp look to the Lord. He looked at her with a frown on his face, but less steel in his eyes than before. Yuffie pulled away a little now and looked around at her father with what appeared to be an attempt at disapproval. Still adorable. It was ruined a little by the tear stains that tracked their way down her face and the tremble in her lip, but she did well for a five year old on the precipice of temper-tantrum-city.

"No bullying!" she told her father as sternly as she could. Her tiny finger even making an appearance to point at him to get her own point across. A bushy eyebrow raised and for a moment Rue was worried it would be his turn to dig his heels in, but the man sighed and nodded warily.

"Very well Yuffie, in this, you shall have your way," he looked to Rue and motioned for her to follow him. Her own eyebrow raised Rue attempted to get up and follow, only to find the little Wutian Princess very determinedly hanging on to her. Looking down into the large grey eyes Rue could only sigh herself, and lift the girl with her and walk out of her small prison with an armful of Tiny Yuffie.

Rue had a feeling the little girl was feeling quite proud of herself at this moment, if a little shaken from standing up to Godo for the first time. She suspected Godo was proud of her too, if only just a little.

"You didn't plan this?" Rue looked up to see Godo looking at her curiously. She blinked in surprise and then snorted in amusement.

"I doubt anyone, including yourself, can plan anything concerning Yuffie, she's far too unpredictable," Rue shifted what seemed to be becoming the dead weight of a contently napping five year old as she spoke. Godo nodded, appearing appeased for the moment and returned to the hallway he'd been leading her down.

The moment he turned his back Rue found herself swallowing a shriek as well as a large amount of curses as without warning colourful words danced in front of her face;

* * *

><p><strong>CONGRATULATIONS!<strong>

**ACHIEVEMENTS UNLOCKED!**

*******The Single White Rose of Wutai*******

_**Befriended Yuffie Kisaragi**_

**Reward:**

_**Steal Materia**_

_***Thief Rue*Unlocked**_

* * *

><p>Not to mention the yellow ball of thieving goodness that was just hurled at her from apparently nowhere! Rue had to silently juggle a now sleeping Yuffie and try not to drop the Steal Materia she'd just received from the achievement all the while following Godo down a hallway. Needless to say it wasn't easy and it took her several tries to get the damnable yellow ball into her pocket without making a noise that would draw the Lord's attention back to her.<p>

The walk didn't last for very long after that, Godo came to a halt in front of a pair of ornate red doors and stopped a young woman as she walked past, talking to her in hushed tones and motioning to Rue and the sleeping Princess. The woman nodded and approached Rue with a soft smile, before quietly explaining that she would take Yuffie back to her room to nap in peace. Rue allowed this after giving Godo a hard look, she had no doubt that Yuffie would kick up a stink about this the moment she awoke and from the grimace he gave her and the dismissing motion he made he knew it too. Carefully the two women shifted the little girl from one to the other and once the task was done the maid swiftly made her way down the hall to take the child to her room.

"I apologise for Yuffie, she can be overzealous at times," Godo, surprisingly, sounded quite tired now. Rue smiled and shook her head at the man.

"Don't be, she's a good kid," Godo nodded and opened one of the large doors they were standing before.

"Come, we have some things to discuss," he motioned for her to follow him into the room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Mother of Gods this chapter took me forever to get done. I have a number of excuses ready to go, for example- <strong>

**One: Dragon Age: Inquisition came out  
>Two: I wasn't sure how to actually write this chapter<br>Three:** **I live in Queensland and it's motherfucking hot lol  
>Four: Christmas and New Years<strong>

**I would like to appologize to those that have been waiting for an update. I wish this were a better chapter, but honestly, I needed to get to this point or else all I'd be writing about would be Rue's bordom at being a prisoner for a few chapters and that's really no fun for anyone.  
><strong>

**You should be grateful I did manage it today though, I've been writing in 35-37 degree(Celsius) heat here with my only sources of coolness being a squirt bottle and my shower as my AC is broken and I don't own a fan. Why I don't I'll never know. Madness.**

**Concerning future chapters:  
>Expect time skips to start more frequently, Water Bending training starts soon and I'm not sure how interesting I can make that, so important bits will be there but the uninteresting bits won't be. Once training begins most chapters will likely be character development, training montage and maybe some bonus scenes with other characters...Also TERA will be back either next chapter or the one after! YAY!<strong>

**I can't promise updates will be as frequent as they were when we started, but they will keep coming! I have too many ideas for this fic to let it die!  
>Thank you for all the faves, alerts and Reviews thus far everyone! <strong>

**Till next time  
>RLK<strong>


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